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The Big Meeting with Darren!
by Jeremy Curry on Friday, April 17 2009I’ve had several days in my life that were life-changing. Today was yet another one of those days. While in New York for Window-Eyes training, I traveled to Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB) to give them a demonstration of the latest technology from GW Micro. Since it was my last day in New York, after the demo was over, I had some extra time before my flight left. I might add that I am writing this from a hotel in Detroit because my flight was delayed, but that is another story for another day. Smile. After the technology demo, I was taken to meet my new guide dog, Darren. Darren will be coming to my home on May 6 to begin home training, but I was able to meet him for the first time today. Krissy, one of the trainers, brought Darren out from his kennel. Once he settled down, he let me give him a hug. I softly told him, “Darren, you are going to change my life.” I was given his leash, and told how to make him sit and heel. I could tell he was going to be a great dog when he immediately did what I asked him, and he didn’t even know me yet. Krissy then took us into the feeding room, and they let me give Darren his food. Just like all labs, you would have thought he hadn’t been fed in years because he consumed his entire day’s feeding in a matter of seconds. We then went to Darren’s play area, where he and the other dogs have slides to play on as well as other items you might see in a children’s playground. Darren was let off leash to go play, or do what he wanted, and just after a few minutes, he came back to me and nudged my hand just to “check in” with me as Krissy put it. I couldn’t believe that he was already checking on me, and he had just met me. Just about ten minutes later, Darren came up to me and started leaning against me. It was literally as if I was his long-lost best friend. I have heard that the connection between a guide dog handler and the guide dog is magical, but this was much more than I had ever imagined. I asked Krissy if this was normal, and she indicated that it almost never happens. Usually, the dogs bond with their puppy raisers, then bonds with their trainers, and then doesn’t want to bond with another person, but it was as if he knew his purpose. The Director of Home Training, Jim Gardner, had specifically picked Darren for me based on what I had told him about my life and work, but Jim could not be there since he was out doing a home training. However, I’m sure even Jim could not have expected this. Mark, the third member of the home training staff had been working with Darren for quite some time, and he definitely believed Darren was a really good dog. One thing I could tell about the GEB staff is that they are all there for a purpose. They are not there just because it is a job. It shines through everything they do, and I think it definitely reflects in Darren. I was able to spend some time with Jeff Dunn, who runs their assistive technology lab, and it is very clear that he, the trainers, and even the management know exactly what their mission is, how they should go about it, and they all have a reason behind why the mission is important to them. For Jeff, he is in a similar position as me. He had sight, he started losing it, and now most of it is gone. He genuinely wants to help people by helping blind and visually impaired people become successful in their lives by giving them the knowledge they need to gain good jobs. Krissy and Mark have their own reasons as to why they are there, and it shines through their personalities and the way they treat their dogs and students. I also had the pleasure of spending time with Lisa, who promotes outreach, as well as Becky. They all amaze me because they all agree they are not there to put out cookie-cutter dogs, they are there to come up with the best solutions, and to fit the dogs to the person. And, while keeping focused on their task at hand, their own personal experiences provide a very positive environment that can only be enhancing the lives of the students who go there. When I talked to everyone at GEB, I felt like I was at home. I believe they have very similar philosophies to those of us at GW. We are all here for a purpose. For me, I feel I have been called to train and help others with visual impairments how to use the technology we make to the best of their ability. I remember finding out that I was going blind when I turned 18. I remember not knowing Braille, not knowing what I would be able to do, and not know how I could do anything but sit at home. GW was the first place that gave me hope when I was shown assistive technology there years ago before I ever started working here. Over the years, I learned exactly how AT could make me successful, and that there is no excuse to just sit home because the family at GW has been working for years to allow us as blind and visually impaired people to be successful in our personal lives, in our education, and our employment. Just as with GEB, I think it shines through everything we do. It shows in our work, and it shows in our loyal customers. To all those at GEB, I cannot thank you enough. The time and effort you have put in to your school and especially to Darren will forever change my life in a nearly unimaginable way. And, as for Darren, since he was wagging his tale every time he saw me after becoming my friend so quickly, I can’t wait to get you to my home in Indiana, and here is to our future success as both a guide dog team and best friends!
