Kayla Fallon Smith, who lost her father during the September 11 attacks,has spent the last 25 years transforming her personal tragedy into a resource for others. She now leads a nonprofit called Trails of Purpose, which provides equine-assisted therapy to military members and veterans.
The morning phone call to William Lawrence Fallon Jr.
For eight-year-old Kayla Fallon Smith, the tragedy of 9/11 was preceded by a routine of love and stability. According to the report, her father, William Lawrence Fallon Jr., an employee at Cantor Fitzgerald, maintained a strict morning habit of calling the house phone to wish his daughters well before they left for school. This routine allowed him to start his workday early in the city so he could return in time to take his daughter to dancing school in the afternoons.
The finality of the attacks is anchored in a single, haunting phrase. During their last phone conversation on the morning of September 11, William Lawrence Fallon Jr. told his daughter, "I'm coming home." As the report notes, these words have remained with Smith for two and a half decades, serving as a poignant reminder of a promise that the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center prevenetd from being kept.
How Trails of Purpose uses horses for veteran healing
Now a licensed mental health counselor, Kayla Fallon Smith has channeled her experience with childhood traua into the creation of Trails of Purpose. This nonprofit organization focuses on providing free mental health counseling and equine-assisted therapy specifically for veterans and active-duty military members. Smith discovered the efficacy of this approach during her own graduate studies, finding that the connection with animals offered a breakthrough that traditional trauma therapy had not provided during her youth.
The philosophy behind Trails of Purpose is rooted in the idea that horses can provide a non-verbal bridge to healing. Smith explains that when words fail, the presence of horses offers a safe, quiet respite for those whose minds feel "on fire." By creating a community of understanding, Trails of Purpose aims to provide the same sanctuary that Smith sought while navigating her own grief after the loss of William Lawrence Fallon Jr.
The lasting trauma of the September 12th mindset
The work of Kayla Fallon Smith reflects a broader, ongoing struggle with the long-term psychological aftermath of the 2001 attacks. Smith challenges the common narrative that time heals all wounds, describing the idea as a "myth" and noting that grief simply changes shape over the years rather than disappearing. Her emphasis on remembering the collective feeling of "September 12th" serves as a call for the next generation to understand the depth of national and personal trauma.
This transition from traditional clinical settings to animal-assisted therapy mirrors a wider trend in PTSD treatment for both civilian survivors and military veterans. By integrating nature and animal interaction, programs like Trails of Purpose address the physiological symptoms of trauma—such as hypervigilance and anxiety—in ways that a standard office visit often cannot. Smith's journey from a grieving child to a provider of these services highlights the evolution of trauma care in the post-9/11 era.
The scale and reach of Trails of Purpose's free services
While the mission of Trails of Purpose is clear, several operational details remain unverified in the available reporting. It is not specified where the nonprofit is physically located or how many veterans have already benefited from the free equine therapy sessions. Furthermore, the report does not disclose the funding model that allows the organization to offer these specialized mental health services at no cost to the particippants.
Additionally, while the report focuses on the emotional success of the program, it does not provide data on the clinical outcomes for the veterans served. Whether Trails of Purpose operates as a standalone facility or partners with existing stables remains an open question that would provide a clearer picture of the organization's capacity to scale its impact.
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