Leroy was a Korean War veteran who had been turned down as "too disabled" for a service dog by another program.  His wife, Melanie, told us that she did not have the heart to tell him the bad news.  Mostly bedridden after suffering two strokes in the previous eight years, cardiac problems, seizures and the pain of arthritis in a badly healed broken hip, the only thing that was keeping his spirits up was the expectation that he'd have a service dog by spring.  

After giving the situation much thought, we decided to do our first Assisted Skills Service Dog placement.  We explained to Melanie that she would be the primary handler, responsible for the service dog's care and emotional well being.  It would be her role to facilitate the interactions between Leroy and his service dog.  We undertook this in the belief that is would not only improve the quality of life for Leroy; a service dog could also be very helpful to Melanie, who also had health issues.  The pain from the years of straining her back, her forearms, lifting the six foot tall ex-marine to change the bedding, change his garments or to transfer him to a wheelchair had taken a harsh toll.  Arthritis and painful angina attacks added to her difficulties.

After an intensive search for a talented dog who was already housebroken and absolutely trustworthy in a home, we adopted a Lab mix through the Animal Welfare Society of SE Michigan.  Leroy chose the name "Rex" for him.  Rex had a silky black coat, some white on his chest and the most melting brown eyes we'd ever seen.  It didn't take us long to discover he was a whiz kid at service dog tasks.  His rapid progress astounded us.  It enabled us to place him in their home in time for Leroy's birthday.  We continued the training of this service dog with frequent home visits and numerous outings in public for another four months.

Although Leroy had some difficulties with speaking and short-term memory loss at times, it was not the barrier to communication with Rex we thought it might be.  Leroy's eagerness to work with Rex, Melanie's willingness to patiently tutor her husband twice a day and Rex's keen desire to please the couple soon paid big dividends.  Within six weeks, Leroy could get Rex to fetch a beverage from the refrigerator, call 911 on the K-9 Rescue Phone, pick up dropped objects and to answer the doorbell to let aides or family members into the house if Melanie was out.  Rex also learned to "Go find Melanie" in the house whenever Leroy needed her, so she didn't have to keep jumping up and going in to check on him every ten minutes.  Rex was able to drag heavy bedding out to the washing machine, pick up things so Melanie didn't have to bend down, carry things to Leroy for her, bring the portable phone, turn on the lights and perform other useful tasks to make life as a caregiver less fatiguing.  At our suggestion, Melanie also found creative ways to incorporate Rex into Leroy's physical therapy sessions.

In the months after Rex came to live there, Leroy astonished his doctors and physical therapist with the comeback he made mentally.  They gave the lion's share of the credit to Rex's stimulating presence.  The team was certified just a few weeks before Thanksgiving in the year 2000.  On that day, Melanie proudly told us that the doctor and therapist had prescribed an electric wheelchair for her husband, something they had not deemed Leroy mentally competent enough to operate before Rex entered his life.  Both she and Leroy were looking forward to a much more active life together.  

Sadly, Leroy never had a chance to use the new electric wheelchair on order for him.  He unexpectedly passed away at the end of November after a short stay in the VA hospital across town.  He is deeply missed by all of us who knew him.

The funeral Melanie arranged in the church where they had been married was huge, as many people turned out to pay tribute to an unselfish man who had become a surrogate father to most of the neighborhood kids in the years before his stroke.  In the three decades between his military service and the first stroke, he also worked at Ford Motor Company and raised two children of his own.  He had been active in the VFW and their church.

Rex's loving companionship during the long grieving process has been a source of tremendous comfort to Melanie.  In the year following Leroy's death, living alone, she developed additional health problems, which sometimes necessitate bed rest or the use of  a wheelchair in her home.  We let her apply for and certified Rex as her personal service dog.  She hopes to get well enough someday to go back to doing volunteer work as a hospital chaplain at the VA hospital, with Rex at her side.  She can still get around fairly well with a cane on good days.  Meanwhile, she has found happiness being a grandmother and in daily interactions with the service dog whom she cherishes as Leroy's legacy to her. 

A note from Melanie - March 14, 2004

It has been said that " dog is man best friend". Another saying that comes to mind is, " a match made in heaven". When you combine these two sayings together and add Rex and Leroy you would understand. After Rex came into Leroy's life there were so many wonderful changes in him. For example: Rex brought out a more sociable Leroy. Also he began to move around more and was then approved for a special wheelchair that would allow him more mobility. However, Leroy was call home after five months with Rex and never got the chance to use the chair.

Since, my Husband's death Rex and I missed him dearly. But, Rex has been an invaluable help to me. In fact, I have always said that Sterling Service Dogs must have cloned Leroy to make Rex. This wonderful dog has helped me through my grief, as well as, during my own illness. I can't thank Sterling Service Dogs enough for my son Rex.

Melanie Harris