HOUSTON – For 4-year-old Remington “Remy” Eschete, the path to becoming a cowboy came with unique challenges.
Born with spina bifida, Remy can’t feel anything below his knees and relies on a wheelchair for mobility. But this Christmas, a chain of kindness from strangers helped make his cowboy dreams fit just right.
“He just wanted some cowboy boots,” said Madison Eschete, Remy’s mother. “It’s very hard to find things for him that are everyday things for us.”
The journey to Remy’s perfect pair of boots began during his hippotherapy sessions, therapeutic horseback riding that helps strengthen his hip muscles.
During one session, Madison mentioned to Remy’s instructor how difficult it was to find boots that would fit over his leg braces.
That conversation set in motion a series of connections that led to Republic Boot Company in Houston’s Heights neighborhood, where craftsmen specialize in handmade custom boots.
“Take it on one like this to put a zipper in the side of a boot for a young man that wants to be a cowboy... make his dream come true,” said Spencer Burkhalter, Production Manager at Republic Boot Company.
The company, which has previously helped other clients with special needs, modified Remy’s boots by adding side zippers to accommodate his leg braces.
Bootmaker Adalberto Sanchez completed the modification the same day, drawing from his own experience of adding zippers to his children’s boots years ago.
“It was something very simple, but very meaningful,” Sanchez said through a translator.
For Remy, who recently participated in his first rodeo, the boots represent more than just footwear.
“Because that’s my favorite thing to do,” he exclaimed when asked about his love for horseback riding.
The modified boots were presented to Remy on Christmas morning as a surprise.
His mother captured the moment on video as he excitedly unwrapped the gift, shouting “Cowboy boots!”
“It just touched my heart because it’s something that is specific and special for him, and someone thought about him,” Madison said. “He gets to fit in now.”
Republic Boot Company provided the modifications free of charge, continuing their tradition of helping those with special needs.
The company has previously created custom boots for several clients, including a girl with braces on both feet and various cancer patients.
“You can’t really beat that feeling when you see the smile on their face,” Burkhalter said. “We’ve taken on quite a few of these stories to try to make people happy.”
For the Eschete family from Chauvin, Louisiana, this act of kindness means more than just a pair of boots, it represents inclusion and the ability to participate in an activity Remy loves.
“Our normal things are special to him,” Madison explained. “To find things like this, it’s very difficult. And if you do find it, it’s very expensive. So there are a lot of things that I think are normal things for us but are special to him.”
This Christmas gift not only helped a young cowboy-in-training look the part but also demonstrated how a community can come together to make dreams possible, one boot at a time.