Wacee Bland, a 13-year-old cowboy from West Texas, suffered a life-threatening accident on Thursday, resulting in severe head and facial trauma. The specific details of the accident remain undisclosed. However, the severity of his injuries required immediate medical intervention, leading to his airlift to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.
The dedicated medical team at the center managed to stabilize Wacee’s condition. By Sunday, he was moved from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the neurological floor, indicating a positive turn in his recovery. This development has provided a glimmer of hope to his family and the broader rodeo community.
Wacee is the son of Dee and Jill Bland and has two sisters, Tawnee and Teegan. The Bland family is integral to the rodeo world, known for their involvement in raising bucking bulls as part of New West Rodeo Productions. The family’s rodeo roots run deep, with Wacee’s grandparents, Kathi and Rex Bland, also having a significant history in the sport. Rex Bland, notably, qualified for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) three consecutive years from 1971 to 1973 as a bulldogger.
The rodeo community, characterized by its tight-knit nature, has rallied around the Bland family during this challenging time. There has been an overwhelming outpouring of support and prayers from every corner of the rodeo world.
Tracey Martin shared on Facebook, "Yesterday I shared Ms. Kendra Santos’ post asking her #RodeoFamily to pray for Mr. Wacee Bland. Reading the comments on that shared post this morning, it occurred to me that the ‘Prayers sent’ were ‘Folks from ALL Walks of Life’ praying for that ‘Feller’; Not just Rodeo… All of US Together – Kinda how it Should Always Be."
Other messages of support have flooded in. Susie Black posted, "Prayers for complete healing and recovery," while Jackie Riddle added, "Prayers for healing." These sentiments reflect the widespread concern and hope for Wacee’s recovery.
As Wacee continues his recovery journey, the Bland family draws strength from the immense support of their community. The collective resilience and solidarity of the rodeo family play a crucial role in helping them navigate this difficult period.