Our son Cole has been in the ICU for several days as we try to get his seizures under control so we can bring him back home. Many of our friends and loved ones have asked what they can do to help. As we have thought more about the outpouring of support, kind words, and prayers, we decided it's best to let you all know about Cole's dog Eureka and our goal to get him another service dog. Here's more about why we're doing this...

Cole suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of intractable epilepsy that is extremely difficult to treat and results in multiple kinds of seizures, developmental delays, and other challenges throughout his life. We have taken Cole all over the country in hopes of improving his quality of life. He is our only child and every day we spend with him is priceless. He has participated in multiple drug trials and therapies, visited countless doctors and specialists, and tried more than 25 different medications.

All of this effort for 15 years has taken a toll on our financial resources, which is why we are asking for your help. Cole’s service dog - “Eureka” - needs to retire early from public work because of medical complications and we have started the process to acquire a new service dog for his remaining years in high school and beyond. Eureka is in constant pain while she continues to do her job, so another dog will allow her to focus on her medical challenges and remain part of our family.

Cole is a miracle every day. His service dog provides priceless assistance in his life and we invite you to contribute if you can. Your donations will help us pay for the cost of the new dog to include the 12+ months of specialized training before we pick the dog up to bring home, and the onsite training with Cole when the dog is ready to begin working. Any additional funds beyond our goal will help pay for Cole and Eureka’s medical bills, ongoing treatments, and therapies.

Eureka has already had 3 surgeries and metal hardware placed in both of her rear legs. Her 4th surgery is around the corner as she tries to hold back the pain from her arthritis and the limp in her rear leg from a tear in her knee. We have tried multiple rounds of acupuncture, shots, pain medications, and other therapies. We purchased a mini-van that is large enough to accommodate Cole’s wheelchair and give Eureka a lower profile vehicle to get in and out of as well as enough space to lay down since she has to sit a certain way to minimize the pain.

Eureka has become vital for Cole’s everyday life. She jumps in and out of the car as we take Cole to school and she climbs up and down the stairs of the bus coming home. She moves with him from class to class and navigates the busy and noisy hallways at school while giving Cole the confidence that he’s not alone and his best friend is watching out for him if he has a seizure. Eureka travels and remains with Cole during his physical, speech, and occupational therapy appointments every week. At home, she will follow Cole up and down the stairs wherever he goes. She jumps on his bed and alerts us to his seizures. Eureka is also with him at every hospital visit, ICU stay, ambulance ride, and doctor visit.

All of this important work with Cole puts a severe strain on her fragile body. Cole continues to have seizures every day despite our best efforts, but will not stop fighting. And we won’t give up trying and fighting for him. He’s the definition of resilient. As he grows older and mentally farther apart from his peers, he asks for Eureka to be with him every step of the way for friendship, protection, confidence, and accessibility, and to alert others to his seizures. She’s been like a sibling watching out for him. But now, Eureka is not physically able to support Cole because her pain is getting worse. Sometimes we need to leave her home and she can’t work with Cole. He asks, “Where is Eureka?” It’s tough for him to understand why she’s not with him.

It’s time for us to pass the baton to another dog and you can help us make that happen! We know all of our loved ones have many obligations and demands on their resources, so we are grateful for ANY amount. A new dog and the training for us to bring them home will cost more than $20,000 and with all of our constant medical expenses, it just isn’t feasible for us to do it without some help.

GoFundMe now offers additional payment options such as Google Pay, and Pay Pal. This shareable link will also take you to a flyer with QR codes for multiple payment sources.

Every little bit helps, and THANK YOU!