Zebra Stripes

"I don't want no cripple for a daughter." Her father's words, harshly spoken to seven-year-old Ila after an accident in her own backyard, haunted her for years, yet his inability to accept her weaknesses turned out to be a blessing in disguise. In an effort to prove her worthiness, young Ila learned to walk and even, secretly, to run again. Those first defiant steps produced a lifelong inner strength she needed all too often--as an athlete, a wife and mother, and a unique person who knew she deserved to pursue her dreams.