Sayler Stevens is sunshine in a little body. From her white-blond hair to the smile that sparkles with joy, she is an extraordinary little girl who radiates light. Sayler can’t help but dance, her very favorite thing to do. When she feels the beat, she just has to move! Once you spend some time with Sayler, you’ll be captivated by her too.
Sayler Stevens is also a warrior. A fighter. Not quite six years old, she has already won numerous battles for her life. On July 14, 2018, she and her twin brother, Ryder, were born prematurely. Haley Stevens, Sayler’s mother, went into labor at 24 weeks, and the twins were born just one week later, at 25 weeks along. Fifteen weeks too early. Initially, Ryder seemed to be the one in the most need of medical attention. He needed heart surgery, had an intestinal perforation, and a brain bleed. As he was stabilizing, Sayler was starting to have more issues: a brain bleed, intestinal perforation, unable to continue taking in the milk her body needed, and other issues that hadn’t even been discovered yet, such as part of her right cerebellum, which helps with skills such as balance, was completely missing.
Both Stevens twins spent an extended amount of time in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), Ryder for three months and Sayler for six months, at two different hospitals. When the twins were two years of age, Haley and Justin (Haley’s husband and the twins’ father) would receive some truly difficult news, news that would change the dynamic of their family and shape their lives forever. Sayler was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP). According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), cerebral means having to do with the brain; palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles. Cerebral Palsy can manifest in so manydifferent ways, and the Stevens family had no idea of what Sayler’s limitations might be. They were filled with fear.
That fear wasn’t allowed to stick around for long, as Haley and Justin continued to witness miracle after miracle in Sayler’s life. At three years of age, Sayler started at a special school that helped with physical and occupational therapy. At three and a half, Sayler was taking her first few steps. Just after her fourth birthday, she was walking! Dana Sellers, Haley’s sister and proud aunt to Sayler and Ryder, added this latest miracle to her list. Pretty early on, she had started an excel spreadsheet just to record the miracles that were happening on a daily basis, to try and keep up with all that God was doing in the twins’ lives.
Sayler and Ryder Stevens Today
In early 2023, Haley had an idea. She wanted to write a book for Mother’s Day, a gift for her and Justin’s mothers. Haley didn’t quite make her Mother’s Day deadline, but she pressed on anyway. She wanted to write a story about Sayler’s life, showing how she loves to sing, dance, and play just like any other child. As she started in on the story, she realized she needed some help, so she reached out to her oldest friend, her sister Dana Sellers. Since Haley already had some ideas in mind and Dana has great creative and organizational skills, they were able to put the script of the book together pretty quickly. These two sisters had written a children’s book!
Caption: Aunt Dana Sellers, Sayler Stevens, and Mom Haley Stevens
The next step was illustrations. They reached out to a friend of theirs who had made some t-shirts in the past, with Sayler’s likeness, for the Special Olympics. Her name is Jerrica Smith-Johnson. Haley and Dana have expressed appreciation for the time and patience Jerrica put into the project. They were determined to make everything perfectly accurate and sent Jerrica back to the drawing board numerous times. Since Sayler has Cerebral Palsy, she needs a little assistance sometimes; that assistance comes in the form of leg/foot braces, a walker, and a wheelchair. Jerrica took the time to draw an accurate depiction of the braces and walker, even her special shoes that zip all the way around, allowing for her braces to fit easily inside. Haley and Dana were thrilled.
In the fall of 2023, the sisters were actively working to get the book published. After looking through the possibilities, they found Amazon Publishing to be the best choice, but it was far from an easy task. There were issues with sizing and spacing and text and margins. The process seemed endless. Haley and Dana were close to giving up. Thankfully, they didn’t. Just a few days before Christmas of 2023, they received approval. The book was ready! “Adventures of Sayler: Cerebral Palsy Warrior” was available for purchase.
“Adventures of Sayler: Cerebral Palsy Warrior”
“Adventures of Sayler: Cerebral Palsy Warrior” is a simple story, but an important one. The book speaks to Sayler’s desire to participate in all of the activities that children desire to be a part of. For example, with just a few modifications, Sayler plays on a local baseball league, and Haley and Dana were able to include that in her story. Sayler also loves to explore and climb, and in her story, she does just that.
The book also holds special secrets that only the family will recognize. For instance, as Saylerheads out on her adventure in the woods, she meets up with a honeybee. The bee’s name is “Tillie Bee.” Tillie is Sayler’s middle name and a nod to Great Grandmother Willie Bea Vavak. Bea Vavak collected bee keepsakes. Sheila Sellers, Bea Vavak’s daughter and Sayler’sgrandmother, continued the tradition introduced by her mom, and she also collects bee paraphernalia. For Haley and Dana, bees are an integral part of their memories with theirgrandmother and mother, so it was only natural to include a bee in their book about Sayler.
Sayler Signing Her Autograph With Help From Uncle Jonathan Sellers
Haley shared that before Sayler and Ryder’s birth, she was a very private person. When the premature labor began, followed by the quick birth and the subsequent surgeries to save the twins, Haley, Justin, and their extended family were surrounded immediately by love and support. There were prayer groups formed on social media, and the Stevens’ story was being shared around the world. Haley’s eyes fill with tears as she recalls the people who came up to Mercy Hospital, knowing they would be unable to see the newborns; they just wanted to be nearby, to pray in the chapel, to stand in the gap for this family and the babies who were already so loved. Others were the hands and feet of Jesus over those first months, cleaning at the Stevens’ home, running errands, showing up in the practical. Haley said that this side of heaven she may never know the name of every person who interceded for them, gave of their time or money; she is just so very thankful.
Dana Sellers told of how the IPHC family made an impact during this difficult time: “We saw multiple generations of people from the IPHC consistently show up. They were a physical presence: cleaning house, offering financial, emotional, and spiritual support. There were times when we couldn’t encourage ourselves. We felt so broken. The IPHC family came to create a buffer around our heart and soul, to make sure that these pieces of ourselves were intact and protected.” Sayler and Ryder are at least fifth generation IPHC members. Justin’s mother’s family, the Goad family, as well as his father’s, the Stevens’ family, have a long, rich history within the IPHC. In addition, Haley’s mother’s family, the Vavak and Jackson families, also bring at least five generations of IPHC. What a legacy! The twins’ great grandmother, Haley’s grandmother, Bea Vavak, mentioned earlier, was well known within the IPHC; she worked in the accounting department for 31 years before retiring. Bea Vavak has since been promoted to her heavenly home. The sisters, Haley and Dana, joke that she picked the twins out especially for Haley, saying of Sayler: “I’m gonna give you a spicy one!” They imagine she is getting a kick out of watching the twins grow and seeing all the fun the family is having.
Back Row: Justin & Haley Stevens, Jonathan & Summer Sellers, Gilles Sadak & Dana Sellers Front Row: Randy Sellers, Sayler Stevens, Sheila Sellers, Ryder Stevens
As much as Sayler’s story is about miracles in her little body, it’s also a story of hope for Haley,Justin, and anyone who knows and loves the Stevens family. They want people of all ages to see Sayler’s story, read her book, acknowledge that she has some differences, but also appreciate themany more similarities she has to every other child. They want to normalize seeing children, and people of all ages, with differing abilities. This is a book for everyone! All abilities.
“Let us celebrate our differences and recognize that every individual has something valuable to contribute to the world.” –“Adventures of Sayler: Cerebral Palsy Warrior”
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