For Canfield boy in need, man’s best friend indeed

By Jon Moffett

An assistance dog has helped improve a Canfield boy’s confidence, his mom said.

CANFIELD — It takes a lot to make Jesse Madison smile.

Jesse, 14, has isodicentric 15, a physical abnormality at the chromosomal level that inhibits motor skills and mental development. While he is a happy teenager, simple tasks such as smiling become arduous. But when Jesse met his companion dog, Waylon, his face lighted up with a big grin.

“The biggest thing that I’ve noticed with Jesse is a different level of confidence,” said Adelle Madison, his mother. “He is holding his head up higher and making more eye contact with people in the community. He seems to have a boost in self esteem.”

The Madisons got Waylon, a 2-year-old black Labrador retriever mix, last month from the Canine Companions for Independence organization, a nonprofit that has paired assistance dogs with disabled people since 1975.

“What we do is breed our own dogs, train them and place them with people with disabilities,” said Kelly Galindo, the group’s development associate. “We try to match dogs with specific needs. Some of the dogs are better at things than others, so we try to place a dog to a specific person.”

Madison said the process for obtaining a dog was easier than she’d imagined. The entire process, which included applications, medical exams and visits to the organization’s northeast headquarters in New York, took about 14 months, she said.

Madison said the idea for an assistance dog came because of a program by Akron Children’s Hospital. Children there would be visited by a companion dog once a month. Jesse used to receive antibody infusions intravenously at the hospital to compensate for a compromised immune system, his mother said. But when Jesse was able to receive treatments at home via injections, he didn’t have a dog to comfort him.

While the 76-pound Waylon provides comfort to Jesse, he also provides assistance on many levels. The dog is trained to obey standard commands such as sit and lay. But he also responds to commands to open and close doors and to go to Jesse.

Waylon’s commands also include an implied “stay” command, which can last up to four hours. Madison said Waylon can also tug at Jesse’s clothing, such as socks or heavy jackets, if Jesse is having trouble removing them.

“I can’t imagine life without Waylon now,” she said. “Something would just be missing.”

Waylon also provides an extra set of eyes and peace of mind for Madison and husband Stacy, who can’t monitor Jesse all the time due to obligations with Jesse’s three brothers — Shawn, 16, Braxton, 10, and Evan, 5.

Having Waylon has brought joy to a life doctors didn’t think would last because of continuous seizures and other medical problems. Madison said doctors told her Jesse would never walk, eat on his own or recognize his family. She said Jesse can do all of those things and others she never thought possible.

“He is an inspiration on so many levels,” she said. “With all of the stuff he has on his plate to deal with every day, he has such a strong will and determination. When he was little and they told me he’d never walk, I’d see him watching his brother walk, and he would struggle to try and move his body. I think it’s his own will and determination that has brought him this far.”

Man’s best friend has provided encouragement to Jesse, who in turn provides encouragement to his family.

“We’ve all learned so much because you do completely re-prioritize and see life in a very different way when you see how fragile life is — and how quickly it can be taken away,” Madison said.

“We know that every day Jesse is here, we’re going to do everything we can to make his life the best quality that we can and to not take him for granted and to love him. It really does change the way you treat people.”

Coping with Jesse’s disorder has been difficult, Madison said. The slightest setback can be a step back.

“You go through terrible grief. And I think one of the things that is different when you have a special-needs child is you cycle in and out of that grief throughout their lifetime. You think you’re doing well, and you think you’ve got a handle on it. But you’ll go to a playground, for instance, and you’ll see all the other kids who have advanced in their skills and your child has forgotten how to negotiate their equipment like they’ve never seen it before.”

Love and support Jesse receives from his family, and a strong faith, is what keeps the Madisons from giving up.

“When he hits a little milestone, something that for anyone else would be part of what you expect to happen, our family just gets so excited and we get so much joy from that.”

jmoffett@vindy.com