Epilogue
Levi
One Year Later
The sounds of excited children filled the air, and despite having tapped on the microphone several times, I couldn’t get the crowd to quiet enough so that I could speak.
Today was a big day, one where I got to play the proud papa as my daughter changed the lives of others.
Maisie quickly fell in love with sled hockey after I first introduced her to it. She especially loved that it allowed her to connect with other kids who had lower-limb impairments—not all who played had limb differences; others were impacted by paralysis or leg weakness.
That sense of community sparked inspiration for my selfless girl.
She asked if I would introduce her to the head of the San Diego Surf Foundation, because she wanted to pitch an idea.
Intrigued, I set up the meeting and got to watch as Maisie presented her idea for an adaptive sports camp for kids with physical disabilities, one that was free to participants.
The idea was met with great enthusiasm, and the wheels were set in motion for the inaugural Thorne Tough Camp.
Maisie had a hand in the planning from start to finish, working alongside those at the Foundation and chronicling the entire process on social media.
Her posts went viral—because why wouldn’t they?
She was fucking awesome—and already, several other teams across the league were talking about following suit and implementing similar programs.
“Excuse me.” I tried again to get the attention of those gathered.
My wife grabbed the microphone from my hand and spoke into it. “If you can hear me, clap once.”
A handful of people clapped once, while most ignored the request.
“If you can hear me, clap twice.”
This time, more than half of the crowd clapped two times, and those around them paused their conversations to find out what was going on.
There was a smile in her voice when Arizona said, “If you can hear me, clap three times.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Every person followed the instruction, and silence ensued.
“They’re all yours, hotshot.” Arizona winked, handing me the mic.
I smoothed down the length of my polo shirt with my free hand.
“Welcome, everyone, to the first-ever Thorne Tough Camp hosted by the San Diego Surf.” There was a round of applause, and I waited for it to die down before continuing, “My name is Levi, and I have the absolute honor of being Maisie Thorne’s dad.
If you haven’t met her yet, you will get the chance to this week.
She’s the mastermind behind this incredible event, and she also lives with limb loss.
” There were a few hoots as some kids proudly lifted their prosthetic limbs.
“Every day, I am in awe of her resilience, her unwavering optimism, and her compassion for others. And I’d like for you to join me in welcoming her onto the stage to share a few remarks and officially kick off this camp. ”
There was a loud cheer as Maisie walked across the stage to join me, flushed and bright-eyed.
She waved to a few little girls in wheelchairs in the front row, and they burst into a fit of excited squeals, acting like my daughter was some kind of celebrity.
Which, I suppose, in a way, she was. She’d gotten quite a lot of national attention with her social media videos and had been a guest on several local talk shows while promoting this camp.
As soon as she got within arm’s reach, I pulled her in for a tight hug. “So proud of you, sweetheart.”
She squeezed me back. “Thanks, Dad.”
I handed off the microphone and stepped back, letting my girl take center stage.
With an air of grace and maturity far beyond her thirteen—almost fourteen—years, she addressed the crowd.
“First, I’d like to thank everyone who helped make this camp possible—the San Diego Surf Foundation, the donors who contributed funds so that we could offer this week free of charge to participants, the parks department for allowing us to use their facilities, and all the volunteer counselors and coaches.
But most of all, I’d like to thank my family, who supported my vision from the very start.
My dad, Levi, my stepmom, Arizona, and my brother, Austin. ”
She turned around and blew us each a kiss.
“I come from a family of athletes, which can be kind of intimidating for a kid who’s lost their leg.
But because my dad is the best, he made sure to secure adaptive equipment so that I could play too.
And through sled hockey, I met some of my best friends.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized how fortunate I was to have access to adaptive sports.
So I wanted to find a way to grant that opportunity to those who might not have the resources or connections I was so privileged to have.
That’s how I came up with the idea for Thorne Tough, a place where kids with a diverse range of physical disabilities could come together for one week each summer to make genuine connections while trying any sport their hearts desire.
It’s my hope that we can continue this program for many years to come and inspire more just like it around the country. ”
The crowd cheered, and Maisie’s smile grew so wide it nearly split her face.
“It is my pleasure to announce that the first-ever Thorne Tough Camp has officially begun! I hope everyone has the week of their lives!”
My girl was destined for great things. This was only the beginning.
“Oh my God.” I groaned, collapsing onto the couch. “I’m fucking exhausted.”
Arizona laughed, climbing on top of me for a cuddle. “Bet you have a whole new respect for coaches and teachers right about now.”
“Hell yeah, I do.”
My wife sighed happily. “For as wiped out as I am, my heart’s never been so full.”
On that, we could agree. Maisie’s camp brought joy to so many kids and their families, leaving a lasting impression none of us would soon forget.
“With the right support, that girl is going to change the world,” I mused.
Arizona propped her chin on my chest. “And we’re the lucky ones who get a front-row seat to watch it happen.”
Ding-dong.
“My muscles are shot,” I complained. “Gonna need at least five business days before I can move again.”
Arizona kissed my cheek, pushing upright. “Don’t worry. I’ll get it.”
Her footsteps padded over hardwood on her way to the door, but when she pulled it open, there was an inhale of surprise. “Jonathan? What are you doing here?”
So much for never getting up.
With a grunt, I heaved myself off the couch to join my wife and our unexpected visitor.
Sure enough, our family lawyer was standing on the porch, briefcase in hand.
He immediately picked up on our confusion. “They didn’t tell you, did they?”
Dread settled like a rock in my gut as I dared to ask, “Who was supposed to tell us what?”
Shifting uncomfortably, Jonathan replied, “Austin and Maisie.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “They made it sound like you knew.”
“Knew what?” Arizona pressed.
“Maybe it’s best if they tell you. Are they home?”
“Maisie! Austin!” I bellowed, my voice echoing off the high ceilings.
The sound of bedroom doors opening came from upstairs, and two heads appeared over the railing at my summons.
Austin’s eyes slid to Maisie, who chirped, “Hi, Mr. King!”
I folded both arms over my chest. “Which one of you wants to explain what’s going on?”
The pair of siblings looked at each other, sharing some kind of silent communication.
Eventually, Austin held his hands up and shook his head. “This is all you, sis.”
It wasn’t exactly surprising that my daughter was the mastermind of whatever scheme they’d cooked up. I swear that girl’s brain worked overtime, always coming up with ideas—some of which were better in theory than in practice.
The teens traipsed down the steps together. When they reached the bottom, Maisie announced, “We want you to be our parents.”
I cast a glance at Arizona before stating the obvious. “We already are your parents.”
Maisie rolled her eyes, but the move lacked attitude. “Obviously, we know that. But I want Arizona to be my mom for real, and Austin wants you to be his dad.”
“For real,” I repeated. “What does that mean?”
“Maybe I can help explain it better.” Jonathan unbuckled his briefcase, pulling out a large stack of paperwork. “Maisie and Austin have asked me to prepare the documents necessary for legal adoptions for both of them, as well as name changes.”
My hand flew to my head. “This is a lot. I need to sit down.” I didn’t wait to see if anyone agreed to follow before shuffling back to the living room and plopping down on the couch.
The rest of the crew joined me only a few minutes later.
A wrinkle formed between Arizona’s brows. “The adoption, I can understand. Of course, I would love for you to be my daughter legally, Maisie, but what are you changing your names to?”
That’s when Austin finally decided to chime in. “Cleary-Nixon.”
My gaze swung to Maisie. “What about Thorne?”
“It’ll become my middle name.” She joined me on the couch, looping an arm around my waist as she said, “I’m beyond lucky to have four parents who love me—both on Earth and in Heaven. I want to be able to represent them all.”
Don’t cry. Don’t you dare fucking cry.
“I, uh—“ I cleared my throat roughly. “Well, if that’s what you want.”
“What I want is to make this family official. Permanent.”
Lifting my eyes to meet Austin’s, I asked, “Is that what you want? For me to be your dad? Legally?”
The fifteen-year-old shrugged. “You’re the only dad I’ve ever had.” A corner of his lips twitched. “You do an okay job of it, so I guess it’s all right if you do it forever.”
“Smartass,” I teased.
“So, what do you say?” Maisie prompted. “Will you be our mom and dad?”
It was a no-brainer. “Yes. I would be honored.”
Arizona sniffled, clearly unable to hold back tears in this emotional moment. “Yes, for me too.”
Jonathan clicked a pen. “Then let’s get to work.”
The evening became a blur of signatures and initials as we went through a million pages of paperwork. But eventually, the dust settled, and the house was calm again.
I wrapped my arms around Arizona’s waist from behind, unable to tear my gaze away from Austin and Maisie as they sat on the couch, scrolling through social media on their phones.
“Those are our kids,” I whispered in her ear. “This is our family.”
She craned her neck around, pressing a kiss to the underside of my jaw. “Pretty damn awesome, huh?”
“That doesn’t even begin to describe it.”
My whole world was contained under this roof, all the pieces of my heart. My life didn’t make sense without every single one of them.
Eighteen months ago, I thought the move to San Diego would ruin my life. I had no idea it would be the best thing that ever happened to me.