Help Gavin, a Brave 12-Year-Old, Get the Service Dog That Could Change His Life

For ten years, Gavin has lived with unpredictable medical episodes that can leave him unable to speak, unable to see, or unconscious.

A trained medical service dog could give him something he desperately needs: a voice when he cannot call for help and the safety to begin reclaiming his independence.

My name is Bridgette, and I’m the mom of an incredible 12-year-old boy who has spent most of his life navigating complex medical conditions that doctors are still working to fully understand.

Gavin has lived with Atypical Vasovagal Syncope and Dysautonomia since he was two years old. Over the years he has also developed epileptic seizures, childhood migraines, and non-epileptic seizures. His care now involves six medical specialists across the state of Florida as his doctors continue working to understand what is happening in his body.

During many of Gavin’s medical episodes he can become:

• Non-verbal

• Disoriented or unconscious

• Unable to see due to temporary vision loss

These episodes can also be followed by extremely painful full-body muscle contractions that leave him unable to control his body.

Gavin’s vasovagal syncope can be triggered by things most people never think twice about, including:

• Pain

• Blood

• Nausea or vomiting

• Bowel movements

• Urination

• Illness or infection

Because of this, episodes can happen suddenly and without warning.

In the past two months alone, Gavin has been taken to the ER four times — including one time by ambulance after he was found non-verbal and unable to call for help.

Over the years these frightening medical events have also caused Gavin to develop PTSD related to medical trauma. He now lives with the fear that he could have an episode during the night and wake up unable to speak, unable to see, or unable to call for help.

For a child, that kind of fear is incredibly heavy to carry.

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How Gavin’s Condition Has Impacted His Childhood

Because of the unpredictability of his medical episodes, Gavin is currently unable to attend traditional school.

For a child who is naturally social and loves being around people, this has been incredibly hard.

Gavin wants what most kids want.

He wants to go to school.

He wants friends.

He wants to join clubs and group activities.

He wants to go fishing, learn to hunt, and spend time outdoors with other kids.

These simple childhood experiences feel just out of reach right now.

A service dog could help change that.

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How a Medical Service Dog Could Help

A properly trained medical service dog could dramatically improve Gavin’s safety and independence.

Service dogs can be trained to perform life-saving tasks such as:

• Alerting caregivers when Gavin cannot speak or call for help

• Staying with him and providing grounding during medical episodes

• Guiding him safely when his vision becomes blurry or disappears

• Assisting during loss of consciousness

• Providing emotional reassurance during frightening episodes

Most importantly, a service dog would give Gavin a voice when he cannot speak.

Gavin once said:

“If I had a service dog, then I wouldn’t have to be as scared in my episodes.”

For a child who has spent most of his life facing unpredictable medical events, that sense of safety would mean everything.

A properly trained service dog would not only help Gavin during medical episodes — it would become a daily partner in helping him safely navigate life. Service dogs typically work with their handler for 8–10 years, helping protect Gavin through some of the most important years of his childhood and adolescence.

And when the day eventually comes that the dog is ready to retire from service work, it will remain a cherished and loved member of our family for the rest of its life.

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The Cost of a Service Dog

We have spent countless hours researching medical service dog programs.

For the type of highly trained medical response dog Gavin would need, the cost typically ranges between $40,000 and $78,000, depending on the level of specialized training required and the number of medical response tasks the dog is prepared to perform.

While some organizations provide service dogs through grants or donor funding, many currently have waitlists between 3 and 7 years long.

For a child who has already spent ten years battling these conditions, waiting that long could mean losing even more of his childhood.

Our goal is simply to provide Gavin with the safest and most capable service dog possible so he can regain independence and move closer to returning to school and living a more normal life.

All funds raised through this fundraiser will be used solely for obtaining and training Gavin’s service dog. If more funds are raised than the cost of the dog itself, those funds will be used to help cover ongoing service training, veterinary care, and the long-term care required to responsibly support a working service dog.

Other Fundraising Efforts

In addition to this fundraiser, we are actively exploring service dog organizations, grants, and other fundraising opportunities that may help make this possible for Gavin. We are committed to doing everything we can as a family to help him reach this goal.

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Why We Are Asking for Help

As a family, we have always tried to handle things privately and have never asked for public financial help before.

Gavin’s dad works as a truck driver, and I work as a therapist in community mental health serving specialized foster children. Like many families, we work hard and do everything we can to provide for our kids.

But this is one area where we simply cannot do it alone.

A service dog would not just be a companion for Gavin.

It would give him safety when he cannot speak.

It would give him independence when his body fails him.

It would give him the chance to reclaim pieces of a childhood that his medical conditions have taken away.

Gavin has endured more in his twelve years of life than most adults ever will. Yet despite everything, he remains kind, resilient, and hopeful.

If you feel moved to help Gavin on this journey — whether through donating or sharing his story — our family would be incredibly grateful.

Even sharing this fundraiser can make an incredible difference. Sometimes the person who is able to help simply hasn’t heard Gavin’s story yet.

Your support could help give this child something every child deserves: the chance to feel safe, independent, and part of the world again.

Thank you for taking the time to read Gavin’s story and for being part of the community supporting him.

No donation is too small — and simply sharing Gavin’s story can make a life-changing difference.

— Bridgette & Gavin