HORSE THERAPY FOR GOLD STAR FAMILIES

HEALERS IN HORSEHOES

The Memory of a beloved military husband inspires those left behind to reach out

Story by Felicia FrazarPhotos by Felicia Frazar and Chris Krossing Foundation

Donna Kiernan and her husband, Staff Sgt. Chris Kiernan, had a dream of owning land in the country and having a bunch of animals when he retired from the military.

But those dreams were put on hold as Donna’s worst nightmare came to life a year-and-a-half before he was able to retire. Her husband was killed in action May 6, 2007, in Iraq while serving with the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Eventually, her grief led her to help other families and create the Chris Krossing Foundation.

Those plans took time. A year after Chris’s death, Donna purchased five acres in southeast Guadalupe County and named the property Chris Krossing Ranch in honor of her husband.

“It’s his initials,” she said. “It took me a really long time to function. I was in so much grief that I didn’t do much; I didn’t socialize. I didn’t get the animals we talked about; I got two donkeys and a goat. Then, I started to get horses and, eventually, I had eight horses.”

Donna found her way back to the light through her animals, especially the horses. So as a member of the Survivor Outreach Services, Donna began reaching out to other military families like her, those who had lost a loved one, also known as Gold Star families.

“The horses brought life back into me, so I wanted to share them, and that experience with other families that I knew were Gold Star families,” she said. “Because I belonged to Survivor Outreach Services, I was able to reach out to other family members and invite them to come and experience the horses.”

In 2015, Donna hosted her first Survivors’ Kids day, bringing families to the Chris Krossing Ranch and giving the children a day to play, ride horses and have fun. Donna reached out to people she knew with horses to see if they would come out and help, including the True Women Drill Team. Donna said that all of them volunteer their time and their horses for the children.

“We cook for these kids; they have lunch; we bring out a snow cone truck,” she said. “They can have as many snow cones as they want. We rarely say no. We always say yes.”

Volunteers help pony the horses, a rider guardian walks alongside the children and talks with them, answering any questions about the large animals.

There is also a petting zoo with Donna’s other animals, as well as a dairy cow, and a draft horse that pulls a cart giving the families rides.

“Each year, it has grown more and more,” she said. “It is unfortunate, but the survivor families are now facing suicide-related loss. It is awful. It is so hard for the kids to understand. I just want to make a difference; we just want to make a difference in these kids’ lives because they struggle, especially the teenagers.”

The Chris Krossing Ranch also serves as a place for Chris’ former unit to come together. This year, they decided to change their annual meeting date from May to March to help with Survivors Day.

“They wanted to do it earlier this year so they could be part of it,” she said. “They take a lot of pride in doing this because they came home from war. These kids’ dads did not. This helps them as well.”

In addition to Survivors’ Kids Day, Donna hosts a day for the Exceptional Family Member Program, which gives services to military families that have a member with special needs — physical and mental. Donna also invites families to come out for one-on-one sessions with the horses.

“These kids need this, and the moms need this,” she said. “We’ve had lots of families come out just for private sessions, and there is no cost to anybody.” The events Donna hosts at her ranch cost nothing to the visitors, and she said that’s because of generous sponsors, donors and volunteers, including her now-husband, all of whom do it to see the children smile.

“It is that experience of watching the kids get on the horses and just smile,” she said.

Donna said Chris was known for taking care of others and making lasting impressions on their lives.

“He touched so many lives, and I need to carry that on for him,” she said. “So I try through my horses because horses touch my life.”

Chris Krossing Ranch and the Chris Krossing Foundation help her keep his memory and legacy alive, Donna said.

“I feel like, as long as his memory is alive, he doesn’t die, he doesn’t fade away. I have to make sure that doesn’t happen. I don’t want him to ever fade away. His memory has to stay alive.”

Each night before Survivors’ Kids Day, Donna walks the ranch and talks with Chris and all of the fathers, she said.

“I say, ‘please, no matter what, look down on us and help us make this day for your families. Help us make it great and bring a smile to their face. And know that they are not alone,’” she said.

“There are so many other families that have lost what they lost. We come together and we have a good day and I hope that they all watch over us and say, ‘wow, look at all of the people that care about my kids.’”