Healing bond between horse, girl helps her emerge from self-imposed silence

RALEIGH, N.C. — At Hope Reins in north Raleigh, rescued horses help hurting children find hope. Now a 12-year-old girl has written a book about her experience there which is being made into a movie.

"My name is Aly. I like to draw, paint, play in my pretend kitchen and go on walks with my mom and sister, says Alyssa Hakim. "As you can see, I like to do lots of things, except for one thing. I don't like talking."

Ten years ago, Cindee Hakim adopted Alyssa and her older sister from foster care. Their parents were not in the picture, and Alyssa's sense of abandonment had manifested itself in a self-imposed world of silence.

Written by Gerald Owens
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