Benjamin was diagnosed with severe, nonverbal autism when he was 23 months old.  In the summer of 2022, at 12 years old, Ben suffered a seizure.  It was his first but, unfortunately, it would not be his last.  1 in every 26 people is diagnosed with epilepsy. Our son, Benjamin, was diagnosed and became one of those 1 in 26. His seizures can occur at any time despite medication.  Because of his autism he is extremely confused by what is happening and because he cannot speak, he is unable to explain his fears and stresses as they relate to everything that is going on.  As if the seizures weren't enough to worry about there is something called SUDEP, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. 1 in 1000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP. A service dog could be life saving for Ben. It will alert us the moment Benjamin begins having a seizure preventing his seizure from lasting so long that he can’t recover from it. A service dog is also able to bring us medication and a phone, so we don’t have to leave Ben’s side during this critical time.  In Ben's case his service dog can even be trained to comfort him and give him deep pressure during autism related meltdowns or even after the seizures just so he knows he is not alone.   Benjamin's neurologist and developmental specialist both feel this service dog could be a true-life changing companion for Ben.  

Recently, Benjamin was found to also have a severe curvature of his spine and was diagnosed with scoliosis.  He is wearing a hard brace which can limit his mobility. A service dog could further support and protect him from injuries which could include spinal cord injuries and paralysis.

Because this amazing creature will literally change our lives, we researched many different service dog organizations to find just the right one.  And that's where Little Angels Service Dogs comes in.  They are a 501(c)3 non-profit and an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International. We have chosen them as the service dog organization that we are going to partner with to bring home a service dog for Benjamin. We will be fundraising for Little Angels Service Dogs because it costs them $38,000 for each service dog, they work with.  That includes breeding, medical bills, food, training, and housing. Once the total amount is reached Little Angels Service Dogs will begin the painstaking task of finding just the right dog for Benjamin. Bringing home this wonderful dog will change our lives and possibly save Ben's. 

Our beautiful son is only 13.  We are doing everything we can to provide our son the best quality of life we can. The service dog provided by Little Angels will be an integral part of that and with your help it can become a reality.

A donation of any amount is very much appreciated, and no amount is too small.  

God bless you.