Parkland PTSD Service Dogs for Kaitlyn & Brianna

Since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting many have asked what could be done to help our family. Answering that question has been difficult for us, as is asking for help.

Our lives changed on February 14, 2018. Kaitlyn and Brianna were both on the first floor of the 1200 building. The shooter killed two of Kaitlyn’s “Holocaust” classmates and physically injured four others. Brianna’s classroom thankfully was not fired into, but they heard, witnessed and experienced horrors that no person, much less a high school freshman, should. What both of our girls went through they will never be able to forget or get over. They have both been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

With the PTSD they are learning to cope with the trauma that will always be a part of them now. While the girls have had ongoing therapies, it been suggested that they both would benefit greatly by having their own service dogs.

Service dogs are different than therapy dogs in that they are raised from puppies and trained to specifically recognize potential “triggers” and alert the girls so that they can avoid them. The dogs are also taught how to apply therapeutic pressure during a panic attack and to guide them through situations where they might be unable to think or assess for themselves. The dogs also are trained to recognize the emotions of their owners, so that they can provide comfort, reassurance and assistance in finding their “safe” place. The service dogs will know when the girls need to adjust their serotonin levels, help lower their blood pressure and help with the “survivor guilt” and depression that they may encounter.

Brianna is still attending MSD High School and Kaitlyn is in college at UCF. We’re very proud of them both for continuing school, despite the high level of anxiety that those situations present. The service dogs would be trained to be with the girls 24/7, especially at school. In order to have the dogs trained with the girls in time for them to be ready for their respective school starts we need to start the program now. That is where we need help.

Service dogs are medical necessities, insurance companies will not share in the cost, and with all the training and equipment needed, the cost for these dogs is expensive. The cost of each puppy, training and the medical insurance that is required is ten thousand dollars each. We want to help our daughters cope with the trauma that they experienced that horrific day. We can’t afford this on our own but we know how absolutely critical it is for them.

We know that we are “blessed” and we are grateful that our girls are still with us. There are 17 families missing a loved one right now and many others that are dealing with the physical, mental and financial challenges of having someone directly impacted by that tragic event. Not a single day goes by that we don’t think about and pray for them; they are forever in our hearts. We hope that our girls can honor the lives lost by living theirs to the fullest. We are asking for your support to see that possibility by providing both Kaitlyn and Brianna with their own service dogs.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts,

Julie & Eric Jesionowski