Daniel was finally on the right track – more than 70 days sober, out of the cycle of addiction his job always led him to, and living in stable housing. He found a favorite tea “bar” and was working out at the local gym. On his leisurely route to grab some tea, a car struck him on his motorcycle. Daniel was instantly paralyzed from the neck down.

At age 32, he went from being a chef, always chasing the next great thrill, to facing the stark reality of quadriplegia. The accident forced Daniel into a world where, without nursing support he was limited to his bed, dependent on his mother for the smallest tasks. Isolation and frustration began to overtake him, leading him to question how he could keep going.

Once Daniel’s mother was able to return to her own work, she began a mission to find programs to help her son. She found Canine Companions, and Daniel was convinced to apply for a service dog to improve his quality of life.

Childhood is when we learn the meaning of friendship and connection. But for some children with disabilities, including 10-year-old James, bridging that social gap can be challenging.

As James was getting older, he was having a harder time connecting with his peers beyond a simple “hello.” James loves socializing but living with Down Syndrome and hearing loss made it difficult to express the words he wanted to share.

James’ mom, Larkin, knew that James needed someone to motivate him to express himself and connect with his community.

The school where I teach isn’t in a typical setting. The Benton County Juvenile Detention Center is a place where I’ve come to understand that children and youth don’t wake up and decide to become criminals; they are almost always victims of trauma themselves.

This facility where I work is often filled with hostility, anger and complex emotions. That is, until my wiggly, silly partner, a Canine Companions facility dog named Halpert, walks through the door of my classroom.

My students, ages 10 to 21, spend their days in class, but every night, they return down the hall to cells. It’s a lonely and challenging environment and I do my best to build relationships. One especially tough part is the rule prohibiting all physical contact within the facility.

However, my Canine Companions facility dog, Halpert, can provide high-fives, fist-bumps and unlimited hugs. He gives the kids the comforting interactions they crave through the tasks he learned during his expert training – including providing deep pressure therapy.

Most kids, including 9-year-old Sophie, have big dreams for their future – whether it’s a ballet dancer, a doctor or becoming a parent, those dreams are motivators for youth. Sophie hopes to be a veterinarian and has recently taken serious steps to learn more about dogs – especially her Canine Companions service dog named Webster.

While Sophie can practice caring for Webster – brushing his teeth, feeding him and making sure he’s groomed to perfection – Webster isn’t teaching Sophie just to be a vet. His job is to teach her how to prepare for a future with independence.

Until Webster joined the family, one of Sophie’s parents, Amy or Julien, had to sleep in their daughter’s room every night. Sophie’s anxiety made it impossible to sleep. Now, with Webster curled by her side, Sophie is sleeping independently for the first time in her life.

April Duckson-Jackson wanted to take a different path than those she grew up with who were affected by the high crime rate in her New Jersey hometown. She joined the military at age 17 with the hope that she could do something positive, meet new people and travel the world. However, her hopefulness was soon overshadowed by the realities of sexual harassment and assault in the military, leaving invisible wounds that manifested as anxiety, depression and PTSD. 

“I went from being optimistic and overachieving to an insecure and discouraged young woman,” April says. “I thought one day I would be free from the nightmares, paranoia, lack of confidence and independence my experience in the Army took from me.”  

Her optimism wasn’t misplaced – April recently gained a new “battle buddy” in Canine Companions Service Dog Rhapsody.

Rhapsody’s impact is profound. Before Rhapsody, April struggled with severe social anxiety and would hide away, avoiding interacting with others. “It’s easy for me to lock myself away and be alone,” she remarks. “With Rhapsody, she makes me meet new people. She gives me the confidence to go new places and try new things.” 

The ejection seat is perhaps the most important safety technology for a pilot. But during a 1976 training session, it failed U.S. Air Force veteran Chuck Graf. The seat malfunctioned, ejecting him with violent force, leaving him with a spinal injury. 

Though initially cleared to fly, the injury’s effects lingered, eventually leading to chronic pain and mobility issues. Decades later, MRIs revealed a fractured vertebra, significantly impacting Chuck’s daily life and making simple tasks, like standing or walking, painful and challenging at best.  

Chuck served for 25 years, rising through the ranks, retiring as a colonel. His proudest moment was leading airmen at Travis Air Force Base, CA, during the Gulf War. His service to our country protected our freedom, even while sacrificing some of his independence. 

“When my spinal injury started progressing in the late 2000s, I started avoiding anything that could trigger the pain,” Chuck says. “I became reluctant to go out in public, especially alone.” 

Knowing his future would be harder as his condition worsened, Chuck eventually reached out to Canine Companions. Service Dog Navy would be the one to change his life.  

“Some days, I thought I was okay again. Then, as I was getting ready for bed, the anxiety would creep in. Every night without fail I had just horrific nightmares. Nothing was helping.”  

Deployed in a joint operation with the Army at Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan, U.S. Air Force veteran Karen Steelman was tasked with working with the Afghan national police. She was in a convoy that would go off base to work on warehousing, water and electricity projects.

Her convoy had just come through the gate to base when there was an explosion. Shrapnel flying, Karen’s protective vest was forced against her abdomen, triggering an existing medical issue. She was medevaced for treatment. However, this incident wasn’t the only event that left her living with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – she survived multiple sexual traumas during her service.

“I ended up self-medicating,” Karen says of returning to civilian life. “I didn’t realize how much I needed help.”