For the Riley family, Wells’ Wilderness began during a difficult chapter in their son Wells’ life at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. While Wells was in the NICU, his family discovered the hospital’s tradition of giving each NICU room a nickname and decorating the space with pictures and personal touches. They began drawing characters from the movie Up on his bathroom door. The first character Wells drew was Russell, the young Wilderness Explorer. Before long, more characters appeared, and what started as a simple love of a movie became something the family called Wells’ Wilderness.
In the middle of doctors, procedures, uncertainty and difficult days, those small details mattered. They transformed an otherwise clinical hospital space into something imaginative and joyful. They gave the Riley family something to smile about and created moments of light during a challenging time. Wells’ Wilderness became a reminder that even in the hardest circumstances, there can still be room for joy, imagination and hope. Years later, that name has found a new home at VIPS.
Each year at the VIPS Gala, guests have the opportunity to bid on the naming rights to one of two special spaces at Mobility City: the street or the Sensory Garden. At this year’s Gala, Jill and John Talbott, VIPS alumni parents, won the naming rights to the Mobility City street. Rather than choosing a name for themselves, however, they decided to give the opportunity to another VIPS family. They gifted the naming rights to the Riley family, whose son Wells was one of the children spotlighted at this year’s Gala.
Together, the families chose
Wells’ Wilderness Trail.
On Thursday, the VIPS community gathered with the Riley and Talbott families for a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony to unveil the new name. For the Riley family, seeing Wells’ Wilderness on a sign at Mobility City was more than a celebration. It was a full-circle moment. A name that began during some of the hardest days of Wells’ journey now lives in a place where he gets to learn, grow, explore, make friends and experience the world around him.
The gesture also reflects something deeply woven into the VIPS community: once a VIPS family, always a VIPS family. Jill and John know firsthand what it means to be part of VIPS, and their decision to turn their Gala win into a gift for a current VIPS family is a beautiful example of that lasting connection. Families may eventually reach the “official” end of their time in a VIPS program, but the relationships they build and the community they become part of continue long after.
Wells’ Wilderness Trail will now be part of Mobility City for years to come, giving future children and families the opportunity to experience a space that carries Wells’ story with it. What began with a little boy, a movie character named Russell and a family looking for moments of joy in a NICU room has become a lasting part of the VIPS community.
We are grateful to Jill and John for turning their Gala win into a gift that has brought joy to a current VIPS family, and to the Riley family for sharing Wells’ story with us. We are honored to welcome
Wells’ Wilderness Trail to Mobility City, and especially honored to celebrate Wells on his birthday today. Happy birthday, Wells!
