Thankful This Season… Even When Life Changes in an Instant
On a quiet November evening, the Isble family’s world shattered with a single phone call.
Sixteen-year-old Maggie—bright, joyful, full of laughter—had been enjoying a simple night of fun at a trampoline park with her siblings. It was supposed to be ordinary. Carefree. One of those moments families don’t think twice about.
But in one split second, everything changed.
Maggie landed on her head in a foam pit.
She broke her neck.
And the life the Isbles knew before that moment was gone forever.
A Family That Was Built Through Faith, Sacrifice, and Love
Long before this accident, the Isble family was already living a story shaped by faith and selfless love.
In 2014, Josh and Jenny Isble received a call from DCS asking if they could take in a sibling group of four children who desperately needed a safe home. This call came after a sermon preached by their pastor, the late David Landrith, about being “wrecked for orphans.”
Those words changed everything.
Josh—who spent years of his own childhood in foster care—knew what it felt like to be separated from siblings. Determined to keep families together, Josh and Jenny made an extraordinary decision: they sold nearly everything they owned to build a home large enough to welcome sibling groups under one roof.
On the very day Pastor David was laid to rest, the phone rang.
It was the call they had been preparing their hearts for.
Just before Thanksgiving, five-year-old Maggie and her three siblings walked into the Isble home. Maggie was bursting with energy—flipping, laughing, smiling with her whole face. She quickly became the sunshine of the household.
After four long years in foster care, Maggie and her siblings were adopted, completing the Isble family of nine.
They had found home.
The Moment That Changed Maggie’s Life Forever
Now 16, Maggie faced the unimaginable.
During Thanksgiving break, she attempted a backflip—something she had done countless times before. But this time, her C5 vertebra was severely damaged. Surgeons were forced to remove it entirely.
The medical team cannot say whether Maggie will ever walk again.
She is now paralyzed from the chest down.
For years, Maggie has also faced challenges with expressive and receptive language, cognition, and academics. Communicating pain, fear, or needs has never been easy for her—which makes this terrifying journey even more heartbreaking.
Her parents sit by her bedside, watching their daughter process a reality she never asked for.
What the Road Ahead Looks Like
The Isble family is currently waiting to hear if Maggie will be accepted into one of the nation’s top spinal rehabilitation centers. If that door opens, one parent will need to relocate to Atlanta for months to guide Maggie through intense therapy and recovery.
That means:
- One parent unable to work
- One parent at home caring for five children and a grandchild
- Extended travel and lodging far from home
- Major home renovations for wheelchair accessibility
- Lifelong therapy and specialized medical care for Maggie
Even for a family surrounded by love, the weight of this journey is enormous.
Maggie Is Still Maggie
Despite everything, Maggie’s spirit remains.
Her laugh still fills rooms.
Her courage still shines.
Her life still matters—deeply.
She is a fighter. And she always has been.
Now, more than ever, Maggie needs a community standing behind her and the family who has always stood for others.
A Story Still Being Written
This is not just a story about loss.
It is a story about faith tested.
About love that never gives up.
About a family that opened their hearts—and now needs others to open theirs.
If Maggie’s story has touched you, we invite you to continue reading, sharing, and walking alongside the Isble family as they face an unknown future with unwavering hope.
