A service dog for Rocco
Donazione protetta
I’m Sara Intonato, known affectionately by the Montauk community as “Rocco’s mom.”
For those of you who don’t know Rocco, he is an incredibly smart, handsome, warm, and joyful 10 year old boy. He holds a dual diagnosis of both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Apraxia, the latter of which is a motor planning issue. In short, his brain knows exactly what he wants to say, but the words come out mangled.
8 years post diagnosis, I still wince when people label Rocco as “nonverbal”, because those who know Rocco are aware of how bright he is. He can read, loves math, and has become an excellent communicator using simple words, sign language, and ProLoQuo2, a program that allows him to speak using his iPad. Though he can’t always express his needs verbally, there’s a lot of brilliance in his brain that shows itself more each day.
People who don’t know Rocco well can assume that he doesn’t understand what they are saying because he can’t speak back to them like a “normal” child. Therefore, they have low expectations of his capabilities. He is a deeply complex person who is atypical of folks with ASD in many ways. How, you might ask? Rocco loves museums, thank goodness, as Ben and I are both art history nerds. He isn’t bothered by crowds, waiting in line, or the subway. He loves traveling by airplane and always uses his charm to ensure his needs are met. He’s an extrovert, nicknamed "Mr. Holiday", because he enjoys family gatherings more than anyone else. The bigger the dinner, the more action, the better. At last year’s Thanksgiving dinner he even went back for an encore meal before we left (I can’t blame him, as nobody can resist Auntie Tina’s cooking). In the summer, he loves the beach bonfires, especially when music and dancing are involved.
Everyone knows the place Rocco really shines is the beach. After years of tandem surfing with Ben, Rocco is taking more waves by himself. He has been an avid swimmer since age three (since birth if you count the use of floaties), and is often the last one out of the water at sunset.
In Montauk, Rocco is a celebrity. Nobody pities him or bombards me with intense but well intended questions like, “Will he ever go to college?” “Do you think he’ll want to get married?” Or, “will he always live at home”? Instead, he is surrounded by people who believe in him and expect him to reach his full potential.
A few weeks ago, I surfed alongside Rocco as he took a beautiful, solo wave all the way to shore. As we carried our boards out of the water, I looked up and realized the entire beach was cheering for him and yelling his name. As we walked to the parking lot, he received high-fives, hugs, and encouragement from the local surf teachers, who yelled, “By next year he’ll be paddling out by himself!” As I reached our car to head home, I realized I was crying. I can’t explain what it feels like to have others uphold my dream of independence for my child, to truly believe he can do all things by himself, regardless of what the test scores say.
My dream for him is that he will do all the things I mentioned above by himself, plus many more. College, living on his own, having a career he loves, traveling, and beyond, are all on the horizon for Rocco if we prepare him for success now.
We have recently discovered that a service dog is the perfect bridge for him to get there, in ways I never knew existed. After a dear friend connected me with Jeremy Duhlebohn, an experienced service dog trainer, I learned that a well trained canine companion can help Rocco in the following ways:
Tethering: When you were a 10 year old would you have wanted to hold your mom’s hand in parking lots, stores, and airports? Nope, it’s uncool. A dog trained to tether Rocco will help him navigate these places alongside me and eventually on his own.
Tracking: let’s face it, the idea of your child getting lost at the beach is terrifying for a parent. Now, imagine your kid can’t talk. A dog trained to find Rocco’s scent on a crowded beach or in a store is a welcome support to prevent unwelcome worry.
Calming: while Rocco is a superstar on most days, he does become upset when he isn’t able to communicate how he feels. His service dog is especially trained to both PREVENT anxiety attacks and calm him during.
Responsibility: Rocco already performs basic household chores. Learning to care for his dog, every day, no matter what, will teach him the discipline and structure to care for himself as he grows up.
A source of socialization: let’s face it, everyone wants to talk to you when you have a cool dog. For most kids it’s no big deal, but people are often nervous to talk to Rocco when they realize he’s different and they aren’t sure how to act.
In addition, the dog is a Golden Doodle so as not to agitate Rocco’s allergies.
THIS is why I am writing to humbly ask for your support. Ever since Rocco was diagnosed, countless friends and relatives have asked me how they can support us, especially when the going got tough (which was more frequent and more intense than I could have ever imagined it being). My answer was usually an overly enthusiastic “we’re fine!” whether because I was too proud or simply overwhelmed by life and unsure what would actually be helpful, I don’t know. In truth, it was probably both. I’m both happy and nervous to say that finally, I know how you can help.
If you feel called, you can help make our dream of a service dog for Rocco a reality by donating any amount you wish. All funds raised will go directly to Duhlebohn Dog Training, a family owned business of 26 years, that trains dogs for a wide variety of specializations. The $25,000 includes the dog itself, intensive training for 8 months, health insurance for our pet, and supplies/equipment to ensure a seamless transition to make the dog part of the family. In fact, payment is required up front because the training is completely personalized for Rocco, which means both parties must be committed from the start. In April 2021, Jeremy will deliver it to our family in person and spend 5 days helping Rocco adapt to his new companion.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Love,
Sara
For those of you who don’t know Rocco, he is an incredibly smart, handsome, warm, and joyful 10 year old boy. He holds a dual diagnosis of both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Apraxia, the latter of which is a motor planning issue. In short, his brain knows exactly what he wants to say, but the words come out mangled.
8 years post diagnosis, I still wince when people label Rocco as “nonverbal”, because those who know Rocco are aware of how bright he is. He can read, loves math, and has become an excellent communicator using simple words, sign language, and ProLoQuo2, a program that allows him to speak using his iPad. Though he can’t always express his needs verbally, there’s a lot of brilliance in his brain that shows itself more each day.
People who don’t know Rocco well can assume that he doesn’t understand what they are saying because he can’t speak back to them like a “normal” child. Therefore, they have low expectations of his capabilities. He is a deeply complex person who is atypical of folks with ASD in many ways. How, you might ask? Rocco loves museums, thank goodness, as Ben and I are both art history nerds. He isn’t bothered by crowds, waiting in line, or the subway. He loves traveling by airplane and always uses his charm to ensure his needs are met. He’s an extrovert, nicknamed "Mr. Holiday", because he enjoys family gatherings more than anyone else. The bigger the dinner, the more action, the better. At last year’s Thanksgiving dinner he even went back for an encore meal before we left (I can’t blame him, as nobody can resist Auntie Tina’s cooking). In the summer, he loves the beach bonfires, especially when music and dancing are involved.
Everyone knows the place Rocco really shines is the beach. After years of tandem surfing with Ben, Rocco is taking more waves by himself. He has been an avid swimmer since age three (since birth if you count the use of floaties), and is often the last one out of the water at sunset.
In Montauk, Rocco is a celebrity. Nobody pities him or bombards me with intense but well intended questions like, “Will he ever go to college?” “Do you think he’ll want to get married?” Or, “will he always live at home”? Instead, he is surrounded by people who believe in him and expect him to reach his full potential.
A few weeks ago, I surfed alongside Rocco as he took a beautiful, solo wave all the way to shore. As we carried our boards out of the water, I looked up and realized the entire beach was cheering for him and yelling his name. As we walked to the parking lot, he received high-fives, hugs, and encouragement from the local surf teachers, who yelled, “By next year he’ll be paddling out by himself!” As I reached our car to head home, I realized I was crying. I can’t explain what it feels like to have others uphold my dream of independence for my child, to truly believe he can do all things by himself, regardless of what the test scores say.
My dream for him is that he will do all the things I mentioned above by himself, plus many more. College, living on his own, having a career he loves, traveling, and beyond, are all on the horizon for Rocco if we prepare him for success now.
We have recently discovered that a service dog is the perfect bridge for him to get there, in ways I never knew existed. After a dear friend connected me with Jeremy Duhlebohn, an experienced service dog trainer, I learned that a well trained canine companion can help Rocco in the following ways:
Tethering: When you were a 10 year old would you have wanted to hold your mom’s hand in parking lots, stores, and airports? Nope, it’s uncool. A dog trained to tether Rocco will help him navigate these places alongside me and eventually on his own.
Tracking: let’s face it, the idea of your child getting lost at the beach is terrifying for a parent. Now, imagine your kid can’t talk. A dog trained to find Rocco’s scent on a crowded beach or in a store is a welcome support to prevent unwelcome worry.
Calming: while Rocco is a superstar on most days, he does become upset when he isn’t able to communicate how he feels. His service dog is especially trained to both PREVENT anxiety attacks and calm him during.
Responsibility: Rocco already performs basic household chores. Learning to care for his dog, every day, no matter what, will teach him the discipline and structure to care for himself as he grows up.
A source of socialization: let’s face it, everyone wants to talk to you when you have a cool dog. For most kids it’s no big deal, but people are often nervous to talk to Rocco when they realize he’s different and they aren’t sure how to act.
In addition, the dog is a Golden Doodle so as not to agitate Rocco’s allergies.
THIS is why I am writing to humbly ask for your support. Ever since Rocco was diagnosed, countless friends and relatives have asked me how they can support us, especially when the going got tough (which was more frequent and more intense than I could have ever imagined it being). My answer was usually an overly enthusiastic “we’re fine!” whether because I was too proud or simply overwhelmed by life and unsure what would actually be helpful, I don’t know. In truth, it was probably both. I’m both happy and nervous to say that finally, I know how you can help.
If you feel called, you can help make our dream of a service dog for Rocco a reality by donating any amount you wish. All funds raised will go directly to Duhlebohn Dog Training, a family owned business of 26 years, that trains dogs for a wide variety of specializations. The $25,000 includes the dog itself, intensive training for 8 months, health insurance for our pet, and supplies/equipment to ensure a seamless transition to make the dog part of the family. In fact, payment is required up front because the training is completely personalized for Rocco, which means both parties must be committed from the start. In April 2021, Jeremy will deliver it to our family in person and spend 5 days helping Rocco adapt to his new companion.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Love,
Sara
Organizzatore
Sara Intonato
Organizzatore
Huntington, NY