Plan to shake a (fake) hoof with Molly the Pony on Friday night. She's looking forward to meeting you and I bet she'll be the life of the party.
The guest of honor at Friday night's Student Awards Night party is a friend of mine. And she'll soon be a friend of yours. She has a way of making friends that makes me think she should go into politics.
You probably know how Molly was left behind in a barn when Katrina hit, and survived on her own for a long time. She was finally rescued, only to be attacked by a pit bull, who ripped her up quite badly, especially her right front leg. Her vet worked very hard, and Louisiana State University agreed to amputate what was left of the leg. An orthotist in New Orleans started building horse legs in his spare time.
You probably know how Molly was left behind in a barn when Katrina hit, and survived on her own for a long time. She was finally rescued, only to be attacked by a pit bull, who ripped her up quite badly, especially her right front leg. Her vet worked very hard, and Louisiana State University agreed to amputate what was left of the leg. An orthotist in New Orleans started building horse legs in his spare time.
Before long, Molly was not only walking again, but being put to work as a cheerleader for everyone in New Orleans who needed to pick themselves up and put their lives back together. She became a public pony and made the rounds of hospitals and schools and shelters. This winter, she had her own float in the Mardi Gras parade.
It's a long story about how I came to be involved with Molly the Pony but as you may know, I publish a blog in conjunction with my company's Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. So a three-legged Katrina surviving pony was a perfectly legitimate story to post on that blog, and I owed it to both Molly and her owner, Miss Kaye. I told them I would try to sell some copies of Molly's book when it came out because an article I had written about them for EQUUS magazine had been cut. We'd all worked hard on it.
It's a long story about how I came to be involved with Molly the Pony but as you may know, I publish a blog in conjunction with my company's Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. So a three-legged Katrina surviving pony was a perfectly legitimate story to post on that blog, and I owed it to both Molly and her owner, Miss Kaye. I told them I would try to sell some copies of Molly's book when it came out because an article I had written about them for EQUUS magazine had been cut. We'd all worked hard on it.
I was looking for redemption in a blog post. Boy, did I find it.
I don't know what happened, but it was some sort of a social media phenomenon. One for the record books. Someone--I know not whom--forwarded my blog post as an email to some other people, or to a lot of other people. They in turn forwarded it. And you know how that goes.
When the blog story counter hit 50,000, I gave up. That was just the number of people who bothered to click back to the original blog post. I heard from people in hospitals, prisons, and police units. I heard from soldiers in Iraq and from people on every continent except Antarctica. Mostly I heard from grandmothers and aunts and cousins and friends of handicapped children, kittens, goats, llamas, and poodles who wanted to tell me stories of their triumphs and tragedies. The Shriner Hospitals were big supporters. Teachers and nurses told great stories of how they used the book to inspire children.
I don't know what happened, but it was some sort of a social media phenomenon. One for the record books. Someone--I know not whom--forwarded my blog post as an email to some other people, or to a lot of other people. They in turn forwarded it. And you know how that goes.
When the blog story counter hit 50,000, I gave up. That was just the number of people who bothered to click back to the original blog post. I heard from people in hospitals, prisons, and police units. I heard from soldiers in Iraq and from people on every continent except Antarctica. Mostly I heard from grandmothers and aunts and cousins and friends of handicapped children, kittens, goats, llamas, and poodles who wanted to tell me stories of their triumphs and tragedies. The Shriner Hospitals were big supporters. Teachers and nurses told great stories of how they used the book to inspire children.
So not only did Molly inspire me, the people who were inspired by Molly inspired me. I know my life will never be the same again. And that's a good thing.
Molly's book, meanwhile, sold out probably before many could ever get to a bookstore. I think it is now in its fourth printing. It was #1 on Amazon and won the ASPCA Henry Bergh prize in 2008 for best children's book about animals. People say it changed their lives. People say it gives children hope. The Obama children took it with them when they moved into the White House. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computers, became one of Molly's biggest fans. The tv cameras beat a path to her door.
I won't tell you too much of Molly's story, because it is in the book, and there will be at least two copies of her book in the auction on Friday night. One is signed by the talented author and photographer, Pam Kaster, and one is signed by Molly--stamped with her prosthetic hoof.
A year later, my life is finally back to normal, and Molly is still hobbling around to hospitals and schools to perk up anyone who needs a lift. She has that way about her.
And you're next on her list.
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