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.
“My nurses handle things in the morning, but once I’m in my chair, everything changes,” he explains. It's Norwood's time to shine.
Norwood opens the fridge and freezer and turns on lights when they come home at night. He can even retrieve Daniel’s hat if it falls off and with a bark, alert the nurses if Daniel needs urgent help. With Norwood by his side, Daniel no longer relies entirely on others for simple tasks, and he has reclaimed the confidence he thought he’d lost.
Now Daniel can focus on spending time with his fiancée and friends without feeling crowded by nurses. “Norwood makes it possible for my nurses to hang back. He’s got it covered. Even if it sometimes takes me longer without a nurse’s help, I’m doing it on my own with Norwood.”
Norwood has helped redefine independence for Daniel and connected him to a community of friends with shared experiences. With Norwood, Daniel has found not only the means to live more independently, but also the friendship and purpose he had thought were out of reach.
“I thought I was happy for the past few years,” Daniel says. “Then I got Norwood, and it feels like we can do anything.”
The impact Service Dog Norwood would have on Daniel was beyond anything he expected. Norwood has become Daniel’s partner in every sense.