Three Magnificent Matches
By Pat McKenna, Seeing Eye graduate
Every Seeing Eye® graduate says it, but it’s true — my dogs have had a tremendous impact on my life.
My first dog made it possible for me to become an attorney. I wasn’t comfortable making the commute to law school in Newark using a cane, so I called The Seeing Eye. With Asta by my side, I could navigate through those intense intersections, on and off public transit…it was awesome.
Garcia was my second dog, and we traveled all over the country to tons of places I’d never been before. He was also with me when I got married, had kids — and it was amazing to see how he adapted to those life changes. For example, whenever we were walking with one of my kids, especially when they were babies, Garcia would show extra care (even more than usual).
Now I have Finn, and he likes to keep busy — which is good! Between my work as the Assistant Division Director for the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the kids, we’ve always got somewhere to go and something to do. Whether it’s daycare, an orthodontist appointment, the gym, my office…Finn helps me get there. He does get plenty of breaks during the day. And I look for every opportunity to give him little rewards — toys, treats, his dog bed (it’s a really posh bed).
What I’ve gained most from Finn, and his predecessors, is reassurance and confidence. There is nowhere I can't go and nothing I can’t do when I’m with him!
