TARRIN

Tarrin came to us from the village of Aniak. She is a beautiful little girl that doesn't let her size or disabilities slow her down. Born with Spina Bifida, you would think her malformed hips and legs would keep her from accomplishing things in life. Fortunately she was also born with a ‘MIGHTY SPIRIT‘! She is a tiny little 'girly girl' who loves Tinkerbell and playing dress up, but can also keep up with the big boys when she wants to. She is very courageous and would take on any new adventure if we let her (wearing her fairy costume of course). She is now 4 years old and is WALKING and RUNNING all over the place. She is enjoying preschool and making new friends along the way. She is such a joy!

ALEX

Alex is from the Nome / Shishmaref area. He stepped into our lives and hearts at the tender age of 7 months. Working diligently with his Doctors and Specialists, we were able to get his Diabetes Insipidus under control only to go on and tackle many other issues. Due to his partial Corpus Callosum (brain defect), he will always struggle with physical and mental challenges. After several major surgeries to repair his bilateral clef palete, his smile is big and bright! He is now 5 years old, loving kindergarten and we’re proud to announce ‘HE IS WALKING WITH THE AID OF A WALKER’ (or a hand to hold)! His favorite things in life are chasing a ball around the house, cheetos, and of course, Nana & Papa. We enjoy watching him learn and discover new things every day.

TY

Coming to us from the tiny village of Emmonak, Ty was only 5 months old and struggling for every breath he took. But Ty is a fighter and loves life! He has a smile for everyone and is hardly ever down. I believe this quality is what helped him survive his first 2 1/2 years flat on his back relying on oxygen (even though we weren't given much hope). Between having CHARGE Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder he is fighting a valliant battle, and is WINNING! We will soon be celebrating Ty’s 8th birthday! He is attending school for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing and is learning sign language. He has a dramatic flare that makes him a great sign language communicator. Not to long ago, we discovered HE CAN HEAR, with the aid of a BAHA. A whole new world has been opened up to him and he is hearing new sounds for the first time. Ty loves playing Wii and anything technical (Computer, electronic games, etc). Especially now that he can hear all the beeps & whistles!

DEVON

Devon is from the Nome area and has lots of family there. Due to inadequate medical facilities in that area, his family had to make the hard choice to keep their beautiful 5 month old boy in Anchorage, where he could get the medical help he needed. As we helped Devon through his daily struggles with eating, breathing and continual seizures he became such a part of our lives that it wasn’t a tough decision when his parents asked if he could remain with us. Devon is now an active 9 year old with a twinkle in his eye and an INSPIRING GIFT FOR HELPING OTHERS! He enjoys riding his bike, sledding in the snow and swimming. He also loves to build things and is SUPER CREATIVE. He is our lego maniac! He enjoys climbing trees, soccer or playing basketball, when weather permits. He also loves to challenge Ty in a rousing game of Wii. His interests are geography, maps, places and travel. Though some of his issues remain, he has learned to overcome them and is LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST!

SAMANTHA

Weighing in at 4.7lbs and diagnosed with severe FAS and Tetralogy of Fallot, Samantha was only given a 20% chance of survival. We picked her up from the hospital at 6 weeks of age with nothing but hearts of hope and open arms of love. We were told to put her on a blanket and make her happy, because she would probably never walk, talk or write her name. SAMANTHA IS 14 yrs old and look at this beautiful miracle now! She attended Special Olympics Sports Camp this summer and had an absolute blast. She excelled in all SPORTS, enjoyed being a part of a team and made some great friends. Yes, she still has many battles to face but obviously God has something GREAT PLANNED for her life. It’s been a very rewarding adventure watching her reach each milestone along the way.

JLG

We’ve had our newest little one, from one of the smallest villages in Alaska, for over a year now. He is diagnosed with a syndrome so rare only 26 cases are known in the ENTIRE WORLD! Struggling with Allen-Herndon-Dudley-Syndrome, this little one has his work cut out for him. Unable to move his body well or speak is proving to be quite the challenge. Between consistent therapies and lots of love, he is thriving and learning! He even gets to start school soon. With a smile that will MELT YOUR HEART and eyes that speak directly to your soul, you can’t help but want to be a part of his amazing life! Continue to help us pray as we work together to bring this sweet child to his fullest potential.