Andi was born with Down syndrome. It was easy for her mom, Maureen to look past society's perception and see her little girl. Yet, she was always concerned about whether the rest of the world would be as accepting and compassionate.
"Andi was born with Down syndrome when I finally had her I didn't see that she had Down syndrome more that she was a little girl and she was perfect," Maureen told Kleenex.
Determined to create the best life possible for little Andi, Maureen met with the kind folks at Canine Companions who matched her with the service dog Barley. After Andi met Barley her entire life changed, just as Isabelle's did when she met Max.
Maureen thought a service dog would be a good idea once she realized that Andi's older sister and best friend would be going off to college soon. "It just kind of hit me: Who's Andi's friend going to be? Who's that companion that's always there?" She said.
She knew that the loyalty and companionship a dog could provide would be unconditional and everlasting, but she didn't think it would transform her daughter's entire life.
With Barley at her side, Andi has learned how to be responsible for another life. And Barley helps her interact with others to make new friends!
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