October 7, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn (RFD-TV) Fulfilling a dream takes a certain amount of determination, and when obstacles stand in the way it is easy to get discouraged. Fortunately, Michigan teenager Destiny Lapeer won’t let her obstacles hinder her dreams.
Destiny has a great passion for barrel racing. “I grew up riding and being around horses. I love the feeling I get and I love being competitive,” she says. Her dream of becoming a competitor blossomed at a young age through watching the sport on television with her family.
Destiny recounts, “I got home from school and I decided I wanted to ride, so I took her out to the fence to climb on her and towards the gate. I got on her back, and she took off and was headed to the other horses. I fell off and hit my head.”
“I remember sitting there and not being able to move my body, which had to have been the scariest moment of my life. My mom put my feet on the ground and she put my arms around her neck...and I remember I could not walk, and I collapsed on the ground.”
Destiny’s mother rushed her to the emergency room, where the doctors quickly took her into surgery. They found out later that this little hospital did not typically do these type of surgeries, but the doctor knew that he only had minutes to act. Destiny had suffered an epidural hematoma, leading the doctor to cut out part of her skull to relieve the pressure.
Afterward, she was flown to a hospital in Grand Rapids, where doctors pegged her recovery at three-plus months. Destiny did occupational therapy, where she had to relearn how to walk and work on her memory. Every day was 100% better than the last. One week after the accident, Destiny came home.
After some additional outpatient therapy, Destiny is now back to doing what she loves: competing in barrel racing. Destiny’s mom adds, “She is my bonus baby, just a miracle. I was 43 when she was born. When we were naming her, my son, said ‘Mom, you have to name her “Destiny,” because she is meant to be.’”
And we certainly hope that Destiny is destined to fulfill her dreams of becoming a champion barrel racer.
