Wish comes true: After cancer diagnosis, Post Falls girl receives horse

COEUR d'ALENE — Wishes do come true.

At least, they can, when a community pulls together to make them possible.

That's what happened Thursday night, when the crowd in the stands at the Gem State Stampede watched a little girl receive the gift of a lifetime.

Kinsley, 8, of Post Falls, has always loved horses and dreamed of participating in 4-H with a horse of her own. She recently had a riding lesson with a horse named Tucker, not knowing that Make-A-Wish Idaho was working behind the scenes to make Tucker hers.

"It really feels like the whole community was involved in this wish," said Janie Best, CEO and president of Make-A-Wish Idaho. "So many wonderful things happened."

Community members searched high and low for the perfect horse for Kinsley, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer almost a year ago.

Northwest Speciality Hospital helped facilitate the search and ultimately paid for Tucker. Other community partners donated food and boarding.

Kinsley beamed Thursday night as she stood in the center of the Findlay Arena and realized Tucker was now hers. In the stands, the crowd cheered.

Kinsley's parents, Lacey Pesaturo and Shaun Michael, said the whole family has walked a hard road since Kinsley was diagnosed. She received the diagnosis after an ordinary checkup, when her doctor noticed a lump in her neck.

Since then, Kinsley has traveled between North Idaho and Seattle for treatments, including a six-hour surgery.

"It's tough, going through a healthy stage of life to a lifelong struggle," Michael said.

Through it all, Kinsley showed a resilience that inspires those close to her.

"She's very spicy and sassy," Pesaturo said with a smile.

Pesaturo said she thought it was unlikely that Kinsley's wish would be granted. It seemed too big. But in just 30 days, the community gave Kinsley her greatest desire.

"I hope she pays it forward," Pesaturo said.

Best said making dreams come true for children like Kinsley helps bolster them during difficult times and can even improve outcomes as they go through medical treatments.

"When children are faced with scary treatments, surgeries and needle pokes, sometimes they give up hope," she said. "Dreaming of their wish gives them hope."

This year, Make-A-Wish Idaho has granted 140 wishes to children with critical illnesses — a record for the nonprofit. Another 130 children are waiting for their wishes.

On average, granting a wish costs about $10,000.

"The need exists more in Idaho today than it did 10 years ago or 20 years ago," Best said. "We are grateful to the North Idaho community for donating."

    The crowd cheered when Kinsley, 8, received a horse named Tucker.