There are birthdays you remember, and then the ones that change your entire life. For one mother from South Dakota, October 19 wasn’t just her birthday—it was the day her fourth child, Tyler Shepherd Jr., came into the world. She had been four days overdue, impatient, tired, and ready. Deep down, she had a strange feeling her baby would arrive on her birthday, like the universe was saving the best gift for last. The morning started like any other Labor Day, with pain, timing contractions, and convincing herself it wasn’t quite time to go to the hospital yet. But when the pain became too sharp to ignore, she told her husband, Tyler Sr., that it was go time. On the way to the hospital, her water broke, soaking the car seat and washing away any lingering doubt. She barely made it through the hospital doors at 9:05 a.m., already at nine centimeters. Forty minutes later, Baby Ty was born.
The room was filled with that quiet, emotional chaos that always follows a new life—the sound of a first cry, nurses moving quickly, and a mother’s heartbeat catching between relief and disbelief. Then came the words she will never forget: He looks healthy, except he was born without a right arm. Her mind went blank. Fear washed over her so fast she couldn’t even find the right emotion to land on. What had she done wrong? Was it something she ate, something she missed? The joy of giving birth twisted into confusion and guilt. She held her baby close and cried, not because she didn’t love him, but because she didn’t know how to help him. The early weeks were rough. She had six children, and Baby Ty was her fourth, but she’d never prepared for this kind of motherhood. The baby blues clung to her longer than before. She spent nights awake, wondering how she’d explain his missing arm to curious kids or protect him from people who might stare. She devoured every article and medical site she could find about limb differences, determined to be the mom he needed.
Despite her fears, Baby Ty didn’t seem to notice anything missing. He was radiant, always smiling, always curious, always determined. He learned to walk at nine months, quicker than most kids, and when frustration hit, when he couldn’t grab something or lost his balance, his mom would hold him, whispering the kind of comfort only a mother can give.
She tried applying for help, for SSI, for any kind of support that might make life easier. Every time, she was denied. Eventually, she stopped trying. It felt like shouting into a void. Then, one day, everything changed during a routine doctor’s appointment. She brought Baby Ty along, and the doctor immediately noticed his missing arm. But unlike the others, this doctor asked real, caring questions. What kind of care was he getting? Was she receiving any assistance? The doctor didn’t just nod sympathetically and move on. Instead, she made calls, pulled strings, and scheduled an appointment at Shriners Hospital in Minneapolis. That small act of care opened a door that had been shut for over two years.
The family made three trips to Shriners Hospital, where Baby Ty was finally fitted for his first prosthetic arm. During one of those visits, something beautiful happened. Southwest Airlines and Build-A-Bear were giving out teddy bears to children in the hospital in honor of National Teddy Bear Day. When Ty received his, his whole face lit up. That little bear became his sidekick, his comfort buddy during fittings and long car rides. The bear wasn’t just a toy but something stable and soft in a world of change. At bedtime, Ty would grab his bear, tuck it under the blanket, and whisper goodnight. If he thought the bear looked cold, he’d cover it and kiss it. To him, the bear wasn’t a stuffed animal. It was a friend, a little reminder that he was never alone in this journey.
When he finally got his prosthetic arm, Ty took to it almost immediately. Within days, he used it to grab toys, point at things, and show off to his siblings. It wasn’t easy but his resilience made it look like second nature. He learned quickly, adapting like he was born to prove nothing could slow him down. As his mother watched him grow, she realized her fear had been replaced with awe. That tiny boy, born on her birthday, taught her more about strength than anyone could.
Now, every year when October rolls around, she celebrates not just her birthday but his, too, their shared day, their shared journey. She says Baby Ty was the best birthday gift she ever received. In the end, what began as fear turned into faith. What started as heartbreak became hope. And what could have been seen as a limitation has become a story of resilience, love, and a little boy who never stopped smiling, even when life handed him something different.
