Hi everyone,

I’m not usually someone who shares personal hardships publicly, but right now our family could truly use some help.

Our son, Emhyr, was recently diagnosed with Level 2 Autism and has shown elopement tendencies, which means he may wander or run off unexpectedly. As many autism parents know, this can be incredibly dangerous and requires constant vigilance.

After a lot of research and conversations with professionals, we began looking into service dogs trained for recall—a skill that allows the dog to safely stop or return a child who has wandered. We connected with an amazing training group who helped us select a puppy with the goal of training him not only for recall, but also search and rescue support and deep pressure therapy, which can help regulate sensory overload and anxiety.

More recently, however, new medical concerns have come up that make it increasingly likely the dog will also need to be trained for seizure recognition and response.

At the beginning of this year, Jordan and I started saving aggressively to make this happen because the sooner Emhyr has the support of a trained service dog, the safer and more independent his world can become. Unfortunately, due to unexpected medical complications and financial strain, the funds we had set aside have been depleted, and we are no longer able to cover the cost of training on our own.

That’s why we’re asking for help.

Every contribution—no matter how small—will go directly toward service dog training for Emhyr, helping provide safety, support, and independence as he grows. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean just as much to our family.

We appreciate every bit of kindness, support, and encouragement. Thank you for helping us give Emhyr the tools he needs to thrive.

With gratitude,

The Tolsch Family