There are moments in life that shape a person forever. For Dj, one of those moments happened almost five years ago, when a catastrophic stroke changed everything—his body and the life he had always known. But even in the darkest days, one thing never left him: his love for horses.
Before the stroke, horseback riding wasn’t just something he did. It was who he was—a man who found peace, purpose, and freedom in the saddle. When he woke up from his coma, still fighting to understand what had happened to him, he kept repeating the same two wishes every single day: “I just want to walk again… and I want to ride my horsey.” Even through the confusion, that childlike word was his anchor. It was hope.
The first time he was able to get back on his horse after the stroke, he cried. His physical therapist, Duane Blau, even came out on his own time—just to help make that moment possible. Because anyone who knows Dj knows how much riding means to him. It isn’t recreation. It’s therapy. It’s healing. But now, the horse who carried him through that chapter is no longer sound.
Riding is not optional for Dj—it is a critical part of his physical recovery and his fight to reclaim the pieces of his life that the stroke tried to take away. We have been doing as much as we can to rebuild his confidence and remind him that his story isn’t over. We are asking for support to help purchase a gentle, trustworthy horse who can carry Dj safely as he continues his recovery.
Your contribution—no matter the size—directly gives him: a vital piece of his physical therapy, a reason to keep fighting, and a sense of independence he can’t find anywhere else. If you’ve ever known someone who lost everything and fought their way back, you know how much these moments matter. Dj has endured more pain, fear, and frustration in the last four years than most people face in a lifetime. But he hasn’t given up. And with the right horse, he won’t have to.
Before the stroke, horseback riding wasn’t just something he did. It was who he was—a man who found peace, purpose, and freedom in the saddle. When he woke up from his coma, still fighting to understand what had happened to him, he kept repeating the same two wishes every single day: “I just want to walk again… and I want to ride my horsey.” Even through the confusion, that childlike word was his anchor. It was hope.
The first time he was able to get back on his horse after the stroke, he cried. His physical therapist, Duane Blau, even came out on his own time—just to help make that moment possible. Because anyone who knows Dj knows how much riding means to him. It isn’t recreation. It’s therapy. It’s healing. But now, the horse who carried him through that chapter is no longer sound.
Riding is not optional for Dj—it is a critical part of his physical recovery and his fight to reclaim the pieces of his life that the stroke tried to take away. We have been doing as much as we can to rebuild his confidence and remind him that his story isn’t over. We are asking for support to help purchase a gentle, trustworthy horse who can carry Dj safely as he continues his recovery.
Your contribution—no matter the size—directly gives him: a vital piece of his physical therapy, a reason to keep fighting, and a sense of independence he can’t find anywhere else. If you’ve ever known someone who lost everything and fought their way back, you know how much these moments matter. Dj has endured more pain, fear, and frustration in the last four years than most people face in a lifetime. But he hasn’t given up. And with the right horse, he won’t have to.