BOONE COUNTY, Ind. (WTHR) — Artist Nancy Noel needs a golf cart to cover the 40 acre property she owns in Zionsville.
She shares her home with a menagerie of animals that you will often see showing up in her paintings.
Noel also shares her home with Riley families. Once a year she invited them to walk her property and play with the animals.
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"When you think of things day in and day out what these kids are faced with... the health care, therapy. Just to have a wonderful night like this at the beautiful place like this the kids get to enjoy the outdoors and all of these family animals of Nancy Noel. They are fantastic with kids," said Dr Chuck Dietzen, Chief of Pediatric Rehabilitation at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health.
One of the children at this day of fun helped inspire her. She found him thanks to a chance encounter.
"When she saw us at Costco and said I would like to do a painting of your son," said Erik Streib.
That boy, Leif Streib, had several surgeries when he was young.
"Since he was born with a heart defect, he will not be a big guy. He will not be a star athlete but he loves music. He's funny and he's happy," explained his dad.
When Nancy Noel saw the red haired eight year old boy who walks with a skip in his step, she saw something else... an angel.
"It's with a hummingbird. I was looking at a hummingbird," Leif shared excitedly.
Nancy Noel had no idea the boy she wanted to paint was a Riley Kid when she made her request but now they are inspiring one another.
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