DFW News App

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — It’s often said that it takes a village, and one young boy in Wichita Falls is proving just how true that is.

Raylan Fowler is full of joy, energy, and determination, but his road hasn’t been easy. After developing physical challenges, Raylan is now preparing for an intense therapy program in Dallas.

“Raylan was actually born premature. He was born at 25 weeks and ended up getting brain bleeds in the NICU while we were there. So, we had a very dark story painted for us that he wouldn’t walk, he would not talk, he’d be wheelchair bound, and he would not do things that children do independently,” Raylan’s mother, Katie Fowler, said.

Despite that, Raylan and his family are determined to beat the odds, but time is of the essence and at 5 years old, Raylan is heading to Dallas to undergo dynamic movement intervention therapy.

“In this two-week span, he’s going to achieve what he would gain in six months of therapy here. So that’s why time is the essence, because around five years old, we make another breakthrough with the brain. So, that’s why we have to push him as hard as we can so that he can be as independent as he can,” Fowler said.

It’s a journey filled with hope but also high costs. That’s why the community has organized an auction through his mother’s business, Savage Boards, with all proceeds going toward Raylan’s journey.

“It’s going to be all different charcuterie items. Some things that we’ve done in the past are different style boards and different style boxes. They’ll be breakfast items, desserts, and then all the charcuterie, all the juicy fancy stuff that we always do”, said Fowler.

With the help of the community and the DMI therapy, Raylan will be one step closer to his independence.

“Raylan is normal in his own way. I want to see my child dress himself. I want to see him walk without a walker. I want to see him running with his little brother or at least walking with his little brother. All the things that we miss out on, I want him to feel the experience of that and not feel different,” Fowler said.

Because independence may start with therapy, but it grows with love.

The auction will be on July 3 and will be held online on the Savage Boards Facebook page.

If you’d like to donate, you can Venmo Katie Kozeny.