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Jackie Meline is an individual who has not let her disabilities define her life despite using a wheelchair since birth. She was able to start living independently about a year and a half ago, thanks to her service dog, Nathan. VOA’s Jeff Swicord has more from Ashburn, Virginia.
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptCONNECT Life Changing Service Dog (TV)
HEADLINE: Service Dog Transforms Owner’s Life
TEASER: Service dog is a life-changer for young woman with Cerebral Palsy
PUBLISHED AT: 08/14/2023
BYLINE: Jeff Swicord
DATELINE: Ashburn, Virginia
VIDEOGRAPHER: Jeff Swicord
PRODUCER: Jeff Swicord, Zdenko Novacki
COURTESIES:
SCRIPT EDITORS: AK, MJ
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:40
VID APPROVED BY: AK, MJ
TYPE: VPKGF
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((Eds: This is a self-narrated feature.))
((INTRO))
[[Jackie Meline is an individual who has not let her disabilities define her life despite using a wheelchair since birth. She was able to start living independently about a year and a half ago, thanks to her service dog, Nathan. VOA’s Jeff Swicord has more from Ashburn, Virginia.]]
((NATS/MUSIC))
Hi, thank you. Thank you so much.
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
I’ve been in a wheelchair my whole life. I have cerebral palsy, and then I also have a GI [gastrointestinal] condition that causes me not to be able to digest food. I’ve lived at home until about a year and a half ago. I definitely wouldn’t be able to live on my own without Nathan.
((NATS)) Get it.
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
Nathan is my arms and my legs. He helps me so much when I am out and about and when I am home.
((NATS))
Thank you.
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
When I’m home without my caregiver, he really is my caregiver.
I heard about Heeling House maybe a little before the summer of 2019. And we started training together in August of 2020.
((NATS))
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
He opens drawers and doors. He can turn off or turn on lights.
((NATS))
Get the light. Good boy.
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
He picks up dropped items.
((NATS))
Good boy.
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
And also can get me items that I can’t reach on my own.
((NATS))
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
When you’re training with a service dog, the training kind of never really stops. It’s hard to put into words everything that Nathan and Heeling House has done for me.
((NATS))
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
I definitely would recommend other people with special needs to look into getting a service dog.
((NATS))
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
Go through.
((Jackie Meline, Service Dog Owner))
I think for my mental and emotional well-being, I don't even know how much I need Nathan before he came into my life.
He’s made me a more outgoing person. I'm just a lot more confident. We know each other so well and I really feel like we work as a team.
((NATS))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
in Ashburn, Virginia
Embargo DateAugust 14, 2023 16:35 EDT
Byline
Jeff Swicord, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
