Feel Good Friday: Bowling Green boy overcoming clubfoot diagnosis now running, playing soccer

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – When Cory Williams was diagnosed with clubfoot before he was born, his parents had one major question: Would he be able to walk normally?

Today, the answer is clear.

The 3-year-old is running, playing soccer and keeping up with his older brother, something his parents once worried might not be possible.

DeLanna and Ryne Williams learned about Cory’s condition after a 20-week anatomy scan showed a need for additional testing. The family was referred to Norton Children’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine in Bowling Green, where they learned their son had clubfoot, a condition where the foot is turned inward and requires treatment to correct.

“Initially I was terrified of the diagnosis,” DeLanna Williams said. “Just so, so much of the unknown.”

After Cory was born, the family began treatment with pediatric orthopedic specialist James Moyer at Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville.

Cory’s treatment followed the Ponseti method, which uses a series of casts to gradually reposition the foot, followed by bracing to maintain the correction.

“Every Tuesday we would load up me and Cory and my dad would load up to Louisville and make the trek to see Doctor Moyer,” DeLanna said.

The early months required patience and consistency. Cory wore his boots and bar brace nearly full time before eventually transitioning to wearing them only at night.

Ryne Williams, who works as a physical therapist, said one of the biggest concerns after hearing the diagnosis was what the future would look like for their son.

“The first thing that always comes to your mind is like, is he going to move normally? Is he going to be able to walk normally? Is he going to have long term issues associated with his diagnosis?” he said.

Those concerns have since faded as Cory has reached milestone after milestone.

“He is fun and active and fast and curious,” DeLanna said. “Energetic. He doesn’t stop. He’s like that Energizer bunny that just keeps going and going and going.”

The Williams family said they are grateful for the care Cory received and hope their story encourages other families facing a similar diagnosis.

“If I could go back to November 2022 and tell myself anything, it’s that he will make it, that we will make it,” DeLanna said.

Now, the only thing slowing Cory down may be trying to keep up with him.

“You can’t even tell that he ever faced anything,” DeLanna said.