Love for llamas gives Minnesota City woman reason to heal - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

MINNESOTA CITY, Minn. (KTTC) -- Lynda Carothers loves life and her llamas. Early this year, she nearly lost both.

Lynda's Daughter Kaitlyn says, "They're her world. She could have a new house if she wanted but she'd rather have another llama. Her love for the animals is just something from really deep within."

For about 20 years, dozens of llamas have made their home on Carothers farm in Minnesota City.

Lynda says, "They're kind of the Clydesdale I would guess, of the horse world."

In January, Lynda suffered a stroke keeping her in the hospital for months.

Lynda says, "There was always hope. I had to be back to the llama farm."

While Lynda had the motivation, the recovery still wasn't easy.

Kaitlyn explains, "There was a point at which we didn't know when she could come back because she was a near vegetable state, in my mind. I had never seen anyone like that in person."

Knowing that nearly 60 llamas were waiting on her tender, loving, care, and many of them, about to give birth, Lynda regained many skills other stroke patients, lose.

Lynda says, "I told them I had to be home before the babies came. So that was really my goal. And we did it. By a couple weeks."

For Lynda her farm is more than just her home, it's a place of refuge for healing.