Twenty-five years after losing her father, William Lawrence Fallon Jr., in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Kayla Fallon Smith has transformed her grief into a mission to help others heal.

Smith was 8 years old when her father, an IT manager for Cantor Fitzgerald, was killed at the World Trade Center. She recalls his final words to her family as he evacuated the building: "I'm getting out, I'm coming home." This call, and the subsequent realization he would not return, has stayed with her.

"Those words haunt me a little bit," Smith said. "Every year, grief is different. It doesn't go away. It's a myth when people say that time heals all wounds; it doesn't."

Fallon Jr., 38, was known for his dedication to his family, leaving work early to take his daughters to dance lessons. He had a routine of calling home in the morning before heading to the office, often describing the city skyline to his children.

On the morning of the attacks, Smith spoke with her father before the first tower was hit. He called again shortly after, telling her mother, "I'm getting out, I'm coming home," and instructed them to "Turn on the news." It was the last time his family heard from him.

Now 33, Smith, a licensed mental health counselor, has established Trails of Purpose, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free mental health counseling and equine-assisted therapy. The program serves military members, veterans, first responders, and their families.

Smith discovered the benefits of equine-assisted therapy during her graduate studies. "As I was getting my graduate degree, I started to experience equine-assisted therapy, and I really—it just clicked for me," she said. "I never experienced that as a kid, and I had a lot of trauma therapy growing up. The resources were abundant for 9/11 victims, and I never experienced equine therapy."

Founded in 2019, Trails of Purpose has provided 30,000 hours of service. Smith stated, "I created the thing that I think I needed: community and understanding, and a place that's safe, and quiet, and a respite."

She believes in the profound connection people can form with horses, especially when words fail. "The horses, and the connection that they have when when words don't seem to to come, the horses can just be with you," she explained.

As she continues to help others navigate their trauma, Smith emphasizes the importance of remembering the collective feeling of unity and compassion that emerged in the days following 9/11. "If we can remember the feeling that we had on September 12th, I think that would be my biggest point of education for the next generation."