Featured Family: Meet the Trobaugh Family

Meet the Very Unique Sophia Trobaugh: A Girl Who Never Gives Up!

BY DAROLYN “LYN” JONES

Photo by Lauren Lewis with The Heart Narrative

Allison Vita-Trobaugh and husband Brandon Trobaugh are the proud parents of three girls: Sophia, 12, Scarlett, 9, and Sadie, 5. Sophia is unique in the Trobaugh family because Sophia has cerebral palsy. The Trobaughs are lifelong Sheridan, Indiana residents and love their small town.

A unique family fact--Allison and Brandon met in the second grade at Sheridan Elementary School, and the childhood sweethearts have been together ever since, building a family where all their children feel included. Allison and Brandon had Sophia at age 18. They’ve seen each other through the best and worst times and continue to grow a strong family unit. Sophia is in the Life Skills program at Sheridan Community Schools. Inspired by how wonderful the special education program has been to Sophia, Allison wanted to pay it forward, so she took a position as a paraprofessional in the early childhood special education program at Sophia’s school. It allows her to help other students and families while also keeping a close eye on her daughter. Sophia participates in speech therapy, behavior therapy, physical therapy, and aqua therapy. Allison is very proud that that Sophia has graduated from occupational therapy. The Trobaughs have a 7-year-old dog named Riley, after Riley Hospital for Children — the hospital that gave Sophia her life. Born prematurely at 23 weeks, she was a fighter from day one. Allison and Brandon have seen Sophia through multiple medical challenges, including brain surgeries and episodes of cardiac arrest, but she never gave up on life. Sophia just keeps fighting, surviving, and thriving. And because Sophia never gives up, neither does her family.

In spite of Sophia’s challenges, the Trobaughs try to live much like any other family. They love to take family walks around their town, visit the Indianapolis Zoo and Children’s Museum in downtown Indianapolis, go bowling, spend time at the pool in summer and pick apples in the fall. In December, they cut down a Christmas tree together.

Allison admits that yes, it is hard traveling with a special needs child who uses a walker, but it’s important to the family that they get to the beach every year. It’s their happy place. A wagon helps carry Sophia across the sand, and they bring her walker with them onto the beach so Sophia can still have her legs like everyone else. Her sisters Scarlett and Sadie hold her hands on the walker as the three sisters walk into the ocean together. The Trobaughs make sure that Sophia goes everywhere the family goes and gets to do anything the family does. She is never excluded. And if there is something Sophia wants to try, her parents make it happen. Like many other preteens, she enjoys Chick-Fil-A, Starbucks, nachos, and pizza. She loves music, particularly Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, and AJR.

The Trobaugh family has found support and community with Embracing Abilities, Case Connections, and Riverview Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Fitness Center. The behavior therapists at Embracing Abilities, Sophia’s case worker at Case Connections, and Riverview’s rehab staff are wonderfully supportive and have become like family to the Trobaughs. Scarlett and Sadie cheer Sophia on every chance they get. The family is involved with A Kid Again, an organization that provides free local events, activities, and adventures for families who have a child facing a life-threatening condition.

Because Sophia embraces life so well and never gives up, she has taught everyone in her family to never give up.