For the past decade, Diego has been by Kiara’s side, saving lives, opening doors (literally and figuratively), and helping her family rediscover a sense of normalcy.
Diego, named with the Ice Age litter, was trained by 4 Paws for Ability. He can detect seizures, open and close doors, turn lights on and off, and provide essential mobility support to Kiara, who faces complex medical challenges.
“We have had Diego for 10 years now!” says Kiara’s mom, Anitra. “Before we received Diego, I was unable to take a shower without bringing all of her equipment into the bathroom. Even at that point, it took 45 minutes for a 3–6 minute shower.”
Thanks to Diego, that’s changed. With Diego keeping a watchful eye on Kiara, Anitra is finally able to take care of herself again. “Now I’m able to do self-care for myself while Diego watches Kiara and alerts me if she’s gonna seize or if her machine is going off,” she explains.
Beyond the walls of their home, Diego gives Kiara the freedom to move through the world with greater independence. “Kiara is now able to balance off of Diego while in public, and has a more normal quality of life than in her stroller all the time,” Anitra shares.
Reflecting on their journey, Anitra reminds us, “In life, we all need help. Help just may come in a different shape, size, or form. Having a service dog helps our children become handicap-able rather than handicapped.”
Diego may be a dog, but to Kiara and her family, he’s nothing short of a hero.