GIVING GARRETT HOPE
It all began with a prayer….to improve the quality of my son’s life. To keep him safe, allow him more independence, interact more with peers, provide a calming source, help maintain his focus, and quite possibly help him find his voice that I know he so yearns for us to hear. A constant companion and friend that will always love him and never judge him because of his differences will be a key to his success.
I actually have two little guys on the Autism spectrum. Garrett 5 and Morgan 4. Garrett’s autism is definitely more severe than Morgan’s. I do believe that having a service dog will help them both in different ways. Morgan longs to be Garrett’s younger brother in the aspect of having a true companion and playmate, yet for years Garrett has ignored Morgan and they have not had a real brother-like bond. Just recently they have began playing computer games together, which is such a wonder to see. I think that having an addition to our family through a service dog may possibly help bring them together in caring and nurturing and playing. Morgan is allergic to dogs, therefore it was recommended to acquire a breed such as the Golden Doodle for our family.
As far as Garrett’s dreams and hopes….truthfully I do not know the desires of his heart. But I do know he loves music, gymnastics, computer games, and interacting with big dogs. The latter came as a surprise when visiting my friend with a golden retriever. He was overwhelmed with joy to play with Zoey and she with him. She seemed to know just how special he is.
I long for him to have a fulfilled life and to achieve whatever he may set out to do. He currently attends public school in the special education classroom setting for about 90% of his day. The other 10% of his day in mainstream classroom activities with an aide. He receives speech tx, occupational tx, developmental tx, music tx, and enjoys physical education as well. He seems to really love learning and participating in the many activities the school offers. He also attends a before and after school program of which is directed by a wonderful lady, whom has a burning desire to help those with autism, this has been a blessing for sure. He visits a chiropractor twice a month as well. I am looking into equestrian therapy in the new coming year also.
I genuinely believe this opportunity will be life changing for our entire family, friends, and community. So many people are excited to help and learn more about service dogs and the benefits they have for autistic individuals. Thank you so very much for your open communication and always being there with an answer to my various questions. Wilderwood is definitely a cut above the rest and I look forward to interacting and working with you through this process.
Sincerely,
Jessica Harmon
It all began with a prayer….to improve the quality of my son’s life. To keep him safe, allow him more independence, interact more with peers, provide a calming source, help maintain his focus, and quite possibly help him find his voice that I know he so yearns for us to hear. A constant companion and friend that will always love him and never judge him because of his differences will be a key to his success.
I actually have two little guys on the Autism spectrum. Garrett 5 and Morgan 4. Garrett’s autism is definitely more severe than Morgan’s. I do believe that having a service dog will help them both in different ways. Morgan longs to be Garrett’s younger brother in the aspect of having a true companion and playmate, yet for years Garrett has ignored Morgan and they have not had a real brother-like bond. Just recently they have began playing computer games together, which is such a wonder to see. I think that having an addition to our family through a service dog may possibly help bring them together in caring and nurturing and playing. Morgan is allergic to dogs, therefore it was recommended to acquire a breed such as the Golden Doodle for our family.
As far as Garrett’s dreams and hopes….truthfully I do not know the desires of his heart. But I do know he loves music, gymnastics, computer games, and interacting with big dogs. The latter came as a surprise when visiting my friend with a golden retriever. He was overwhelmed with joy to play with Zoey and she with him. She seemed to know just how special he is.
I long for him to have a fulfilled life and to achieve whatever he may set out to do. He currently attends public school in the special education classroom setting for about 90% of his day. The other 10% of his day in mainstream classroom activities with an aide. He receives speech tx, occupational tx, developmental tx, music tx, and enjoys physical education as well. He seems to really love learning and participating in the many activities the school offers. He also attends a before and after school program of which is directed by a wonderful lady, whom has a burning desire to help those with autism, this has been a blessing for sure. He visits a chiropractor twice a month as well. I am looking into equestrian therapy in the new coming year also.
I genuinely believe this opportunity will be life changing for our entire family, friends, and community. So many people are excited to help and learn more about service dogs and the benefits they have for autistic individuals. Thank you so very much for your open communication and always being there with an answer to my various questions. Wilderwood is definitely a cut above the rest and I look forward to interacting and working with you through this process.
Sincerely,
Jessica Harmon
| garrett.pdf |
