In March of 1947, Linda and her parents moved to a farm in Illinois where she was raised. When she was about nine, she started to care for all sick farm animals. She had a special love for them and a "oneness" with them. They loved the attention she gave them. It was common to see one or more of them following her while inside or outside of their pens. The smaller ones often sat with her on a bale of straw inside the barn.
The story about Wilbur, the Miracle Pig, is entirely true to every detail and was put to print after Linda broke her hip on Labor Day, 2011. As a result, she underwent physical therapy for almost a year. While in one of the therapy sessions, she observed a little boy who was seven or eight and who was in physical therapy for a broken leg. He definitely was NOT doing well with his therapy.
Linda and her therapist went to talk to the little boy. After hearing the Wilbur story, the physical therapist strongly encouraged Linda to put the story to print and place it in hospitals where there are children's physical therapy departments....and that's how Wilbur, the Miracle Pig became print.
By the way, the little boy responded and said, "I guess I can do it (physical therapy)! I only have one broken leg, not two like that pig."
