9-year-old living with cerebral palsy chasing his sports dreams
By Ayron Lewallen
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HOOVER, Alabama (WVTM) — Born at just 30 weeks, Shep Maddox was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at eight months old. His parents, Kati and Richard, chose to fight for his future.
“A lot of things go through your mind, but you want the best for your kids, right?” Richard said. “Those things go through your mind and you’re wondering, ‘Is he going to be able to do the things that he wants to do in life?’ … But then, we quickly realized that Shep was going to have a bigger impact on people’s lives than we could ever have. It was just really cool to see how the Lord worked. We just figured out how fortunate we were to be able to walk through every single day with him.”
Children’s of Alabama supported Shep through multiple surgeries and intensive physical therapy, including major leg reconstruction at age eight.
Today, he’s running faster, walking around theme parks and even trick-or-treating and playing at the beach without assistance.
“He is able to move through his world in a way that once seemed out of reach, and that is a gift that we will never be able to stop being grateful for,” Kati said. “We will forever be grateful for that.”
Now stronger and more active than ever, Shep is focused on what he loves most—sports.
“I’m thankful for my PTs helping me do all these new things like sports,” he said. “I get to be really good at my sports because I’m getting stronger. Thank you Dr. Doyle, Dr. Wozow, Ms. Lisa and Ms. Corrine.”
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