HOUSTON — Fifteen kids get to participate in Mutton Bustin' each night at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, but for one family, Tuesday's competition was about more than the sport itself.
As Austin Castillo, 5, got ready for the ride of his life, you would have never been able to tell that his little sister was in the middle of a fight for her own life.
Ellie, 3, has an extremely rare, inoperable brain tumor.
The Castillo's lives were put on hold last June when a doctor's visit turned into so much more.
"I thought she might need glasses," Jessica Castillo said. "They took her into a CT scan and said she has a brain tumor."
On the rodeo dirt, there's one rule above all: Hold on tight. But for the Castillos, that saying holds a deeper meaning.
"You never think you'd be in that position of having one of your loved ones, your kids, go through something so hard in life," Michael Castillo said.
While Michael and Jessica got ready to watch their son take the ride of his life, they couldn't help but think about their daughter's fight.
"That was the most shocked I think I've ever been in my life. Within five or six hours, she was having brain surgery," Jessica said about that fateful visit to the doctor.
Ellie has faced the battle head-on.
"She wakes up every day and you wouldn't even know (what she's going through) because she wants to go, go, go, and enjoys everything she does," Jessica said.
Austin is her best friend. She calls her big brother "Bubby" and he's been by her side from the start.
"He's really good about helping her stay calm and tell her that she's going to be OK," Jessica said.
This year, when Austin got the chance to fulfill every Houston family's dream, the Castillos weren't going to let the opportunity pass them by.
"I think it's every dad's goal to have their kid ride in the Mutton Bustin'," Michael said.
It was only fitting that Ellie would help her Bubby prepare for the big moment. When the time came on Tuesday, she was right there, helping her family hold onto the positivity that she's somehow able to find day in and day out.
"Ellie has taught us to be present. To enjoy every single little moment," Jessica said.
Ellie is still going through chemo as her fight continues. Despite the rigorous treatment, she's somehow able to keep a smile on her face through it all.