The Dying Cowboy Who Longed To See His Horse 1 Last Time Gets Final Wish Just In Time
February 05, 2023
Kevin Adkins of Wichita knew his time was running out and the dying cowboy had just one final request. He longed to see Vic, his horse of 27 years, one last time. And before leaving for Heaven, loved ones made sure he got to do just that!
Those who knew Kevin Adkins (55) of Wichita, Kansas described him as having a "George Strait look".
RELATED: Cowboy Tames A Wild Horse In Just 3 Hours
Kevin regularly dressed in Wrangler jeans and button-up shirts and always donned a cowboy hat and boots. He also had a vast array of belt buckles, his favorite being from the time he was named champion bull rider in 1992 at the PKD Arena.
“On his dying days he let me know the most important to him was his PKD,” Kevin's 26-year-old daughter, Delaney Adkins, said.
Another important family member to the dying cowboy was his horse, Vic. Kevin and Vic spent nearly every day together for 27 years.
"They’ve been partners for all these years,” said Jennifer Wadley of D&J Ranch, where Kevin boarded Vic. “It could be pouring rain, it could be snowing, it could be hotter than heck. He was always here.”
Jennifer was a long-time family friend of Kevin's and also the one who sold him his beloved horse.
When doctors diagnosed Kevin with cancer, he fought a 3-year battle. But when the cancer kept coming back, the dying cowboy realized his time on earth was coming to a close.
Memory Making In The Final Days
Even as he battled this terrible illness, Kevin spent time with the ones he loved, including Vic. Jennifer recalls watching the dying cowboy spend hours with his beloved horse.
“Take the time to brush him, pick his feet and spend time with him, and that went on every day,” she recalled.
Kevin spent time with Delaney, too. They managed to take a trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas right before his condition rapidly deteriorated.
“It’s like the Super Bowl (for) cowboys,” Delaney said about the father-daughter moment. “I could tell he was hurting, but he cowboyed up and we made some great memories together.”
RELATED: Cowboy’s Message For Daughters Is Powerful
Realizing her father wouldn't be by her side for much longer, Delaney also got baptized in front of the dying cowboy. She wanted to have the memory to hold on to since Kevin would miss future milestones in her life.
“As a little girl you always think about your dad walking you down the aisle and always having that first dance with your dad,” said a tearful Delaney said.
And once Kevin Adkins became confined to the hospital, with doctors telling him he didn't have much time left, there was one other family member he desperately needed to see. Kevin didn't want to leave this earth without a final goodbye to Vic.
Loved Ones Work To Grant The Dying Cowboy's Last Wish
Everyone knew Kevin's time in the hospital away from Vic was wearing on him. And Vic missed Kevin, too.
"It's truly a love story between a man and a horse," Jennifer Wadley said. "It was just an unbelievable friendship."
Kevin had always boarded Vic at the Wadley's family ranch. And Jennifer says while Kevin was away in the hospital, the horse became depressed and stood alone on the ranch.
So, Delaney and the Wadley family worked together to grant the dying cowboy's final wish to see his horse one last time to say goodbye. And it was a touching moment for everyone.
RELATED: Dying Woman Says Emotional Goodbye To Horse And Then Passes Away
After doctors said there was nothing more they could do, they moved Kevin to hospice care in his sister's house. And all of Kevin's loved ones worked together to bring Vic for a visit one last time.
The dying cowboy got to feed his beloved horse from his gurney and tell his best friend of 27 years goodbye.
“Yea, I love your fur, buddy,” Delaney recalls her father saying after giving Vic a kiss.
Jennifer made sure to film the emotional reunion. And it was just such a special moment for everyone involved.
“I think he knew,” Jennifer said, talking about Vic seeing Kevin for the last time. “I think what was so moving was watching Kevin with his horse. He lived for his horse. It was very moving.”
WATCH: The Dying Cowboy Gets To Say Goodbye To Beloved Horse
In addition to Vic, lots of other visitors flocked to the house to say their farewells to Kevin, too.
Kevin Adkins went home to be with the Lord the following day. And while his suffering had ended, the grieving process began for the many friends and family who loved him.
“Cowboys don’t cry is a real thing and I have seen a lot of cowboys cry over the last few days,” Delaney said. “The rodeo cowboy, cowgirl (community) is really hurting right now.”
Loved ones came together for a service honoring the late cowboy at the Prairie Trail Cowboy Church. The church was built so that horses could come inside and Vic served as a pallbearer for Kevin.
Then, the horse went to sit beside Delaney at the front of the church.
Friends say the D&J Ranch will feel empty without Kevin, since the dying cowboy spent every day there with Vic up until he was too sick to do so.
But Delaney and the community will honor Kevin Adkins' memory in a special way.
They've established the Kevin B. Adkins Cowboy Relief Fund to help other struggling families in the rodeo community.
“Any cowboy family or rodeo family down the road that is having trouble, that Dad is speaking to me about to help that family,” Delaney said.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Heartbroken Horse Grieves Deeply At His Human’s Funeral
You can't help but marvel at God's amazing design. As He was creating all the animals of the earth, He gave each a special purpose. And sometimes, that purpose is to bless us with a special friendship like Vic and Kevin shared.
LISTEN: Story Of How Brad Paisley Met His Wife | Town Learns Farmer Had Been Blessing Strangers For A Decade
h/t: The Wichita Eagle
Featured Image: Youtube
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Peace around the World This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 3
As Christ's followers, we must also be FOR those who are in need, not content to live comfortably and blind to the spiritual war going on around us.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Peace around the World This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 3
As Christ's followers, we must also be FOR those who are in need, not content to live comfortably and blind to the spiritual war going on around us.
Past Stories
- Family Receives Support From School and Community After Losing House in a Fire
- Soldier Reunites With His Military Dog Yyacob After Years Apart
- Chicago Man Discovers That The Owner Of The Bakery He Loved To Visit Was Actually His Mother
- Husband Pays For 40 Pet Adoptions At Shelter For His Wife's 40th Birthday
- Parents Find Healing After Loss of Son By Donating His Beloved Key Collection To Little Boy
- Mom Dances With Son At His Wedding After Being Placed in Hospice Care 2 Weeks Before
- Grandmother and Young Granddaughter Battling Cancer At the Exact Same Time
- Community Brings Christmas Joy to Virginia Woman With Just Weeks to Live
- Four Friends Recreate A Fun Vacation Photo From 50 Years Ago
- School in Arkansas Mourns the Loss of Their Beloved Emotional Support Dog Abby
- 93-Year-Old Has Made Sure To Attend Every High School Football Game Since 1946
- Texas Mom Doesn't Remember Delivering Triplets After Rare Complication After Birth
- United Airlines Pilot Buys Pizza For 155 Passengers After They Make An Unexpected Stop
- Teenager With Down Syndrome Enjoys Playing Kickball After Parents Organize Neighborhood Game
- Woman in Shock After Finding Winning Lottery Ticket At the Bottom of Her Purse
- Australian Couple Walks Into Their Bedroom To Find the Cutest Koala
- 5 Boys and Their Father Were Saved By Good Samaritan After Explosion
- Daughter of WWII Soldier Finally Learns What Happened To Him, 80 Years Later
- Sisters Scream With Joy Watching Their 4-Year-Old Sister Take Her First Steps
- Her Mom Put a Message in a Bottle As a Child, 26 Years Later Her Classmate Found It
- This Missouri School Was Renamed After Their Much Loved and Dedicated Custodian
- Michael Strahan's Daughter is Now Cancer Free and Has Taught Him All About Perseverance
- These Two Newlyweds Found Love in Their Late 90s, After Meeting At Their Retirement Home
- Sisters Who Were Adopted By Separate Families Nearly 40 Years Ago Reunite After DNA Tests
- Oldest Living Person in the US Passes Away at 115, After a Long and Faithful Life
- At Just 20 and 22 Years Old, These Two Sisters From Minnesota Saved Their Family Farm
- After Over 450 Days in a Shelter, Boone and Rellie Find Their Forever Home, Together
- Sweet Kitten Named Coraline Loses Both Her Eyes, but Inspires Many with Her Spirit
- Donny Osmond Sees the 'End of the Tunnel' Coming After Performing for Over 6 Decades
- An Iguana Hitches a Ride on a Garbage Truck in Tennessee, Now Trying to Find Its Owner
- 6-Year-Old Starts 'Poop Scooping' Business to Help Animals and Adopt One of His Own
- Bride's Dad Drops During Father-Daughter Dance, but Things Lined up Perfectly to Save His Life
- Young North Carolina Father Risked His Life To Save a Couple and Dog From a Sinking Truck
- UPS Driver Jumps into Action As He Spots Elderly Woman on the Ground & Says It Was All God
- Rescuer Braces for the Worst After Spotting Kitten on the Side of the Road, Then Sees a Paw Move
- AJ Griffin Gives Up High-Paying Career with NBA to Follow God
- These Former Conjoined Twins Finally Go Home After Their First Birthday
- Teenager From Iowa Uses His Flying Skills to Help Hurricane Helene Victims
- Son Saves For 9 Months and Surprises Mom By Paying Off Her Mortgage
- Woman's Home is Surrounded By 100 Raccoons, and They Aren't Leaving Anytime Soon
- Dog Saves Her Owner's Life By Sitting in the Middle of the Road
- Widower Shares the Last Thing His Wife Told Their Son Before She Passed Away From Cancer
- A Nurse Saved Her Life 35 Years Ago, Now, She is Surprising Her With a Visit
- These Twin Sisters Have An Important Message To Share On Their 102nd Birthday
- This Brave 5-Year-Old Saved Her Mother's Life By Calling 911
- 79-Year-Old Broke Her Ankle After Scattering Her Mom's Ashes, Then Strangers Save the Day
- Dad Travels Through Mud and Debris to Walk His Daughter Down the Aisle
Top Music Videos
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
Gaither Vocal Band Gaither Vocal Band - Mary, Did You Know? [Live]
Anne Wilson Anne Wilson Captivates with Heartfelt 'My Jesus' Live Performance
CCM Magazine 3 Doors Down’s Brad Arnold Shares Message of Faith During Nashville Concert
CCM Magazine Randall Goodgame’s ‘Scripture Hymnal’ | ‘In The Beginning’
Blogs
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.