The past two months had been brutal for 6-year-old Memphis Rose Hamman. She was a passenger in a multi-vehicle crash, which left her paralyzed. Despite showing small improvements every day, her family knew that she needed all the help she could get.
Almost 2 months after the devastating accident, Memphis Rose met someone that would change her life: a service dog in training named Juliet. The second their eyes met, it was love at first sight.
Adjusting to a New Life
Gayrene Meade had to hear the news that no one, especially no mother, wants to hear. Memphis Rose had been riding in the car with Gayrene’s mother, Tanya Meade, and her uncle, Kenneth Graden. Kenneth died in the hospital the day after the crash while Tanya shattered her knee. Memphis Rose suffered from numerous injuries, including a punctured lung, a fractured and displaced neck, and a fractured spine.
Memphis Rose has made a slow recovery so far, but even the small improvements should be celebrated. Her mom said that she’s already doing things that the doctors thought she wouldn’t be able to do. She has been taken off her original medication, and she has gone through spinal surgery and a tracheotomy. She can’t walk, but doctors suspect that her recovery could take anywhere from months to years.
“Memphis Rose has only cried twice,” said Gayrene. “She has always been stubborn and is determined to walk again. Even though she is a girly girl who loves sparkly things and unicorns, her toughness could help in this journey.”
Luckily, Memphis Rose found a glimmer of hope during a dark time. She was connected with Chasin A Dream Foundation, who helped bring her and 4-month-old Juliet together.
Love at First Sight
Anyone who doesn’t believe in love at first sight has never seen the moment a child and their service dog meet. Juliet instantly jumped into Memphis Rose’s chair and showered her with kisses. The pup knew in a heartbeat that the little girl was her new best friend.
“My daughter is a dog lover and wants to be a veterinarian. She was so happy to meet Juliet that she smiled brighter than I have ever seen, especially after learning that the loving puppy was in training to be her service dog. It was a magical moment for me after a horrific few weeks,” said Gayrene.
Juliet is currently working on intense training sessions to help her care for Memphis Rose. But she has still gotten to see the little girl several times since their first meeting. She even accompanied her human on a flight to help comfort her.
It will take at least a year for Juliet to be fully trained, but she is working around the clock to get there. She’ll need to learn to ignore distractions, walk off-leash, think for herself, and seek help in an emergency. She will also need to be able to do smaller tasks, such as turn lights on and off and tuck Memphis Rose into bed.
Throughout Juliet’s training, she will have many opportunities to see Memphis Rose. The two have a bond that’s truly unbreakable. Hopefully, Memphis Rose’s condition will continue to improve, and Juliet will do everything she can to make life easier for the sweet little girl.
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