Four-year-old Emilia suffered a permanent brain injury and now lives with refractory seizure disorder. Every day, she experiences significant discomfort and pain, but there is one place that brings her incredible comfort and joy: warm water.At the hospital, warm-water therapy helped improve Emilia’s mobility, and her parents and doctors could see just how much she thrived in the water. The moment she was immersed in the warmth and buoyancy, she would relax, smile, and savor every moment.
Emilia’s parents shared that having access to warm-water therapy at home could make a huge difference in her daily life. So, Emilia’s wish for a hot tub in her backyard was born! The family decided to build a deck that would allow them to easily wheel Emilia right outside and into the tub. They completed the deck in September, and just weeks later, the hot tub was installed, and Emmi finally got to enjoy her very own hot tub with her family by her side! Her mom shared: “Emmi couldn’t believe it when she was able to go right outside her house and get into a warm tub! She had been very irritable this morning and I asked her if she wanted to go splash. Once we got her in the water, she calmed right down and settled in. We are so grateful to have this option for her as a daily part of her physical therapy routine at HOME now! We can also include her siblings in the fun (they usually don’t get to see as pool therapy happens at Gillette during the school day)!”
We are incredibly grateful to the community partners who helped make this wish possible; including wish contributors, Tubs of Fun & Knight Light Electric. Their support helped bring Emilia’s wish to life, and we are so thankful for their generosity!
