Seven stories. One extraordinary imagination. A legacy that continues to bring people together.

Some stories are written to entertain. Others become part of something much bigger.

Vail’s Tales began with the imagination of Vail Johnson, a joyful, creative nine-year-old who loved God, her family, her friends, Arabian horses and telling stories.

On August 30, 2016, after finishing what would be her final riding lesson, Vail told her mom, Susan, that she wanted to become an author when she grew up.

The following day, Vail passed away unexpectedly.

What Vail left behind were pages filled with her imagination: characters, adventures, humor, friendship and lessons that seemed wise beyond her years. Those pages would eventually become something her family could never have anticipated.

They became books.

And through those books, Vail became the author she dreamed of becoming.

Today, the Vail’s Tales collection carries her words and imagination into homes, classrooms and the hands of young readers, while the Friends of Vail Foundation carries forward the generous spirit behind them.

Founded by Vail’s family in her honor, Friends of Vail exists to inspire learning, strengthen community and demonstrate the power of the Gospel of Christ. Through literacy initiatives, scholarships, equestrian programs and community support, the Foundation continues the kind of work that reflects who Vail was: a child who loved people and had a remarkable ability to bring them together.

Every Vail’s Tales book is another opportunity to meet her.

Carry the Story Forward

Vail’s story did not end with the pages she left behind. It continues every time a child opens one of her books, a student is given an opportunity, a family is supported, or a community comes together through the work of Friends of Vail.

And there is a place for you in that story.

If you would like to be part of the Friends of Vail mission, we invite you to stay connected and help us continue creating opportunities rooted in faith, learning, generosity and community.

Subscribe to the Friends of Vail newsletter to receive updates on our programs, upcoming events, new Vail’s Tales releases and meaningful ways to get involved throughout the year.

You can also support the mission by purchasing and sharing the Vail’s Tales collection, making a donation, volunteering, attending an event or simply introducing someone new to Vail’s story.

Every book shared, every person reached and every act of generosity helps carry her imagination and her heart forward.

Seven stories began with one extraordinary little girl. What they continue to inspire is still being written.