It was four years ago when I first wrote about Alex Dean, the brave little girl from Lynn, Alabama, who had already overcome an extraordinary number of challenges in her young life. Born 14 weeks premature in 2015, Alex’s story of survival was as miraculous then as it is today. With her vibrant energy and determination, Alex continues to defy the odds, bringing inspiration and joy to everyone around her. Her journey, one filled with unimaginable trials and triumphs, is a testament to the power of hope, prayer, and an unyielding will to fight.
Alex’s parents, Kala and Jeremy, were devastated when they first learned that their baby would arrive far too early. With only 80 hours of hard labor, Kala feared for the worst. As she lay bedridden at St. Vincent’s hospital, their baby girl, who weighed only two pounds, three ounces, came into the world on September 29, 2015. The excitement of Alex’s birth quickly turned to worry when doctors discovered a hole in Alex’s intestine shortly after she was born. Kala, who had yet to hold her baby, was forced to wait as Alex was rushed to Children’s of Alabama for surgery.
It was only the beginning of a long road ahead. Over the course of the following months, Alex’s health challenges continued to surface. After surviving the initial surgeries, a heart issue was discovered just two days later. As the months went on, more complications arose: stomach issues by three months, an eye disorder that could lead to blindness at four months, and eventually open heart surgery in May 2016 to address an aortic valve blockage. Through it all, Kala and Jeremy were by Alex’s side, never losing faith, never giving up hope.
The sign above Alex’s hospital room door captured the family’s resilience and determination: “I need prayer, and you need practice.” And practice they did. The prayers that filled the hospital room each day, the hope that surrounded them, and the strength of their little girl kept them going through the darkest of times.
Fast forward to today, and Alex is a vibrant, 10-year-old girl who has not only overcome her early battles but has gone on to achieve remarkable things. Kala recently shared with me that they had their yearly cardiology appointment in October, and Alex received a glowing report. Her heart condition remains stable, and the family is hopeful that with each passing year, she’ll continue to be able to avoid more surgery. “Her numbers are still stable, and we come back next year for her yearly checkup,” Kala shared with a smile. “Hopefully, and prayerfully, her numbers will remain stable enough so that she won’t need another open-heart surgery.”
Alex’s journey has not been without its challenges. Her grandfather passed away a year ago, and the family faced the devastating loss of their home in a fire just a few years back. Yet, despite these setbacks, Alex continues to live her life with boundless energy and joy. She has become a fierce competitor in sports, playing volleyball, basketball, and softball, where her team won league championships in all three sports last year. She even hit her first inside-the-park home run in softball this past season. In addition to her athletic pursuits, Alex is also highly involved in her church and school’s theater program, proving that nothing can hold her back.
“She loves running and doesn’t let her heart issue hold her back,” Kala shared. “She’s incredibly active, and we couldn’t be more proud of how far she’s come.”
Alex’s growth and progress have been nothing short of remarkable, and she continues to inspire everyone around her. Despite her early challenges, Alex is thriving, breathing in life, and running free—just as her parents always dreamed. Her strength, courage, and indomitable spirit have touched the hearts of everyone who knows her, and her journey serves as a reminder of the power of resilience, faith, and hope.
As Alex looks forward to the future, she does so with a smile, ready to embrace whatever comes her way. Her story is one of triumph and resilience, and it’s a story that will continue to inspire others for years to come. Through all the hardships, through all the obstacles, Alex has proven that anything is possible with faith, love, and determination.
The best part? This is just the beginning. Alex is only 10 years old, and her future is bright. Whatever she sets her mind to, there’s no doubt she will accomplish it. She’s already overcome so much, and now she’s ready to take on the world.
As we reflect on Alex’s journey, we are reminded of the power of perseverance and the importance of never giving up. We are also reminded that every day is a gift, and we should never take our health, our families, or our loved ones for granted. Alex Dean’s story is a beautiful example of what can happen when we choose to fight, no matter the odds.
We can’t wait to see what Alex accomplishes next. Whatever it is, we know she will continue to make us proud.
Young Wild Mother Elephant Gunned Down in the North 523
In a heartbreaking tragedy for conservation efforts, Shafaa, a young orphaned elephant who had survived the horrifying poaching of her mother and eventually gave birth to two calves of her own, has been found dead in northern Kenya. At just 21 years old, Shafaa had already endured unimaginable hardship, witnessing the death of her own mother at the hands of poachers when she was only a young calf. Despite this, she had shown remarkable resilience, forming a bond with other orphaned elephants and creating a small family of her own with her two calves.
Shafaa’s death marks a devastating blow to the efforts of Save the Elephants (STE) and its orphan monitoring program in northern Kenya, where she had become a symbol of survival and adaptation in the face of tragedy. Shafaa, along with her companions Orchid and Luna, had formed a mini-herd after losing their mothers to poachers in 2012. The trio of orphans had traveled together for years, showing the strength of their bond as they navigated dangerous terrains and harsh conditions in search of a new life.
Shafaa’s journey had been tracked using a collar that sent out immobility alerts whenever she stopped moving. On April 25th, the tracking team received an immobility alert from Shafaa’s collar in Sera Conservancy, about 30 kilometers north of her usual range in Shaba National Reserve. Immediately, a team of rangers from the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) was dispatched to investigate, and they found Shafaa’s lifeless body. She had been shot multiple times, a grim confirmation that poaching remains a constant threat in the region.
Her two calves, aged five years and 14 months, were nowhere to be found. It is likely they fled with the rest of the herd after the attack. The younger calf, still reliant on its mother’s milk, faces slim chances of survival. Despite the vast and challenging terrain, STE’s team remains on standby, hoping to rescue the young calf if it is located. This tragic event highlights the dangers faced by orphaned elephants, particularly those who are still young and dependent on maternal care for survival.
Shafaa’s death also serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing human-elephant conflict in northern Kenya. Over the course of just one week, eight elephants were reported to have been killed in the region. These deaths underscore the growing challenges in managing the coexistence of elephants and humans as both populations expand. As elephant numbers increase, they are venturing into areas that were once poaching hotspots, where conflict with farmers and pastoralists is becoming more common.
Before her tragic death, Shafaa was a part of the trio of orphaned elephants—alongside Orchid and Luna—that made arduous journeys through the dangerous landscapes of northern Kenya. The young elephants had often become disoriented and had spent days wandering in circles, trying to find their way into Meru National Park. The absence of maternal guidance left them vulnerable to the dangers of poaching and other risks. These challenges reflect the difficult reality of orphaned elephants, who lack the wisdom and knowledge of older elephants to navigate the hazards of the wild.
Shafaa’s bond with Orchid and Luna had been one of deep connection and mutual care. Tracking data revealed that the three friends had last been together on April 21st, just days before Shafaa was found dead. Orchid, the oldest of the trio, left the group shortly after, while Luna remained with Shafaa until her sudden stop on April 25th. Luna, like Shafaa’s two calves, faces a future without the guidance and protection of the matriarch, a role Shafaa had been slowly growing into.
Save the Elephants is deeply committed to understanding and mitigating the human-elephant conflict that has become a growing crisis in many parts of Africa. As human populations increase and elephant numbers rise, there is a pressing need for cooperation and conflict resolution. In response to this, STE has been working on practical solutions, including the establishment of Rapid Response Units and ongoing investigations to understand the dynamics between herders and elephants. However, the challenges of human-elephant coexistence remain complex, and it will take time to resolve these issues.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder and president of Save the Elephants, emphasized the urgency of addressing the growing human-elephant conflict. “While we’ve been delighted to see elephants exploring new territories, we’ve also been anxious for their safety. The death of Shafaa is a harsh reminder that we urgently need an ethic of co-existence if elephants are to have a secure future,” he said. He further stressed that “human-elephant conflict is fast becoming the new crisis for elephants across the continent, and we need to preserve wild spaces and corridors where elephants can roam freely and safely. Unless humanity cares enough for elephants, we could lose them from landscapes like this altogether.”
Shafaa’s death is not only a personal tragedy for her family and for the researchers who tracked her movements, but also a somber reflection of the ongoing challenges in protecting elephants. The loss of such a young, promising elephant underscores the need for stronger protections and for greater efforts to ensure that elephants and humans can coexist peacefully in the same landscapes.
The future of elephants in northern Kenya, and across the continent, depends on our ability to find sustainable solutions to the human-elephant conflict. Shafaa’s death is a painful reminder of how fragile the balance is, but it also calls us to action. Her life, though cut short, left behind a legacy of hope and resilience for future generations of elephants.
