18 doctors said never.
In the spring and summer of 2018, our founder Christina was pregnant with her daughter, Hanna. It was a blessing that came at a great cost. She was ordered to bed rest and struggled with complications throughout the pregnancy.
On the evening of October 17th, her blood pressure spiked dangerously. She was rushed to the hospital for an emergency C-section. What followed was multiple strokes, a heart attack, and a fight for her life.
She came out of it with long-term transient ischemic attacks and syncope. 18 doctors and specialists from across the nation told her she would never fully recover.
She vowed to live not only for herself, but for her daughter. After heavy prayer and research, she found a 14-week-old Great Pyrenees she believed was the right fit for her needs. She named him Finnegan. It means fair-haired in Gaelic.
Great Pyrenees are guardian dogs. They protect livestock and are praised for their ability to think for themselves instead of following strict obedience commands. Finnegan was the most unlikely candidate to become a service animal.
Christina took Finn to five different trainers. Every one of them said a Great Pyrenees would never be a service animal.
After 18 months of training with OC Service Dogs, Finnegan became a fully qualified service animal. He accompanied Christina everywhere, from daily errands to flights across the country.
The safety, the ease of mind, the tasks he performed. All of it was a blessing and an inspiration to anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.
