Jack Fisher and SD Stielau

I am Jack Fisher, a 48-year-old man who found himself with a genetic disease, Ataxia SCA3. In 2012, I came to the conclusion that as I aged, I would lose my independence and ultimately end up in a wheelchair depending on others to do so much more for me that I could no longer do for myself. I have to admit, this was a fact I wasn’t ready to embrace. My form of Ataxia was inherited from my mother’s side of the family.

I was so lucky to have a friend who is a puppy raiser for Canine Companions for Independence. One day, I saw him out with his most recent puppy, Mari, and I got the opportunity to learn about the organization and how one loving animal could help someone like me. I began the application and moved step by step through the process. Eventually, I was awarded my newest best friend and a member of our family, Stielau. 

I knew that it would be a benefit to have a dog like this to help me with the things that at one time were simple, but not as much now as the disease progresses. Examples would be picking up items that I drop over and over again, or opening a door that I cannot support as I balance myself with my walker—a current issue I am facing. What I didn’t realize was that I would find myself with a new purpose in life, and that is loving and caring for something that needs me as much as I need him.