At our request Tori wrote the following story. She is hoping to find some new friends on her Facebook page and even make some new e-mail penpals in the rodeo industry. We have spoke with others that know this remarkable young lady and her courage is unlimited. Her story. . .
My story….where to begin? For starters, my name is Tori Rae Roberts, or to everyone who knows me, Wings. I will be 18 years old the 20th of September, and I am a senior at Interstate 35 High School. I am the oldest child and only daughter of Pam & Rocky Roberts, and I have a younger brother Tyler, who is a sophomore. My family means the world to me, and through anything we stick together.
One of my biggest passions is music, whether I’m writing it or singing it, for as long as I can remember music has been my life. My other passion, to no surprise has been horses, and of course…RODEO. From the time I was 2 years old my dad had me on a horse, even if he was just leading me around the yard. Although I have never had a real rodeo career, I have been involved with rodeo in some way since I was a little kid. I have met countless amounts of extraordinary people through rodeo, some of them resulting in lifelong friendships.
The first rodeo friends I had was the Rinner Family; Chad & Diane, and their 3 children Kai, River, and Addison. Soon after that I met Kai’s best friend, Keegan Levi Quinten who the Rinner’s had adopted a few years prior. The Rinner brothers, Keegan, and I became inseparable best friends. That family taught me more about rodeo and life than I could ever imagine or explain. You want the definition of cowboy, well they are it. They loved and lived life to the fullest every day. On August 2, 2007 Kai & Keegan were in a very serious car accident that resulted in the death of driver Kai & put Keegan in critical condition for a month. Two months later, on October 2, 2007 Cameron "River" Rinner took his own life after the pain of losing his brother. This was obstacle number one for me, but I got through it with the help and support of many. Later that year I met Cody Hull who is now my very best friend, he has helped me through so many struggles, that I don’t know where I’d be without him.
Obstacle number two came on July 14, 2009 when my hero, my grandpa passed away. My grandpa was a very well known man, loved by many, honored by all. Without him I wouldn’t be the person that I am today.
Obstacle number three arrived in April 2010 when Keegan found out he had cancer in the muscle & nerve tissue in his shoulder. Just two months ago he was given only two months to live after the cancer had started to affect his organs, and no more treatment was available other than a trial treatment. I’m happy to report that two days ago he found out that the trial treatment has stopped the spread of cancer cells and is slowly killing the pre existing cancer.
Now onto the final obstacle. I have always had a weak immune system, so I get sick more easily than most. This year I found out I have chronic sinus infection and critical allergies. I battle with that 85% of the time. Then about two weeks ago I became very ill and spent two days in a row at the hospital. I had a series of 4 IV’s put into my body because I was severely dehydrated and after a series of test was told I had gastrointestinal flu, an infection in my body, and mono 2 which makes your liver and spleen swell. I have not been able to go to school for 2 weeks, I can’t work, and I can’t do any physical activity for a few months. I am on complete and mandatory bed rest until next week so that my organs don’t swell anymore or rupture. I can finally start back to school on Monday, but it’s only for half days all week. My healing process is very gradual and I can’t do all the things I would normally do or at my normal pace.
Next week is my senior homecoming and it appears that I will be missing out on it, along with rodeos for the next few weeks. Needless to say my spirits have been pretty down until I received a phone call from Todd Crase asking me to write this story. I would like to give a special thanks to Todd and the whole EBRT Family. The support you guys have given me is an answered prayer from God, and one of my biggest dreams come true. I feel honored and blessed to be a part of the Rodeo Industry. Everything you all have done for me truly makes me believe that there is no greater bond of friendship than those made at a rodeo ;)
I would also like to say a HUGE thank you to my two best friends Cody Hull & Keegan Quinten, you guys are the best. To my wonderful boyfriend Matt Owens, I love you & your family, couldn’t have done this without you! To Chad Rinner, thank you for sending Todd in my direction, all of what I do is in memory of your two sons.
I would like to close this up by saying a quote that I made up to get myself through life’s many obstacles, “We’ll ride until every hat has fallen, until every tear shed, and ever spur rusted out, until our boots fall apart, and our ropes are frayed to hell, but above all else, we’ll ride TOGETHER.” Thank you all for showing me that this quote is so very true. Feel free to contact me on facebook or shoot me an e-mail at t_roberts26@hotmail.com I’m not shy and you can never have too many friends!
