This Mother’s Day, we’re highlighting some of our favorite stories about Colorado moms — from the first Black female fighter pilot in the Air Force to a resilient mother-daughter duo who found refuge and purpose at Springs Rescue Mission.

Homeless, but a mom to many

Betty Bruketta and her daughter Raeann Jackson, who is disabled, have been staying at Springs Rescue Mission for more than a year after being evicted. With nowhere else to go that would accept their dogs, the shelter became their temporary home. Bruketta has become a maternal presence at the mission, offering support to other residents, working in the kitchen and helping where she can. She and Jackson sleep in bunk beds and relax by coloring pages with inspirational quotes. “I think my mom is wonderful,” Jackson said. Read more.

Colorado mom fought off a snake swarm while protecting her son

In a now-legendary 1925 encounter, “Rattlesnake Kate” Slaughterback killed more than 100 rattlesnakes after being surrounded while riding horseback with her young son, Ernie. In her words: “I fought them with a club not more than 3 feet long, whirling constantly for over two hours before I could kill my way out of them.” As the story goes, her son watched from just 60 feet away as she shot, and then clubbed, snakes one after another after running out of ammo. She became a frontier folk hero—and we think, a symbol of fearless motherhood.⁠ Read more.

A mom’s guide to community support

In 2020, Katie Liberatore moved to Colorado Springs and began an internship as a school psychologist, hoping to help children overcome challenges. But she quickly realized the most effective way to make a lasting impact was to support parents—especially moms. The mom of three founded “A Mom’s Guide to Survive, a local initiative designed to help parents access essential resources like housing support, food assistance, healthcare, and employment training.  Read more.

Motherhood wasn’t part of the mission for first Black female fighter pilot, until it was

Rochelle Kimbrell knew from fourth grade that she wanted to fly, and she spent the next 15 years working toward that goal, eventually  becoming the first Black female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. After retiring as a lieutenant colonel, Kimbrell found a new kind of challenge in motherhood. “With kids, there is zero predictability,” she says of raising her two teen sons. “I think it’s way more challenging than being a fighter pilot.” Read more.

Zoo’s leading lemur lady raises 3 pups—one not her own

Three ring-tailed lemur pups were born March 20 at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to sisters Allagash and Rogue. After a chasing incident separated Rogue from her newborn, she rejected the pup when staff attempted to reunite them. Allagash, 12, took over care of the baby. Lemur groups—known as conspiracies—are female-led, and at the zoo’s Lemur Island, Allagash remains the leading lady and matriarch, now caring for both her own and her sister’s offspring. Read more.