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Brother Receives Fidelco
Guide Dog Four Years After Sister
Bloomfield – Four years after Courtney Tabor received "Meeka," her first Fidelco guide dog, Eddie Tabor picks up the handle of his harness and steps forward with "Quinn," his new Fidelco guide dog. Both Tabor children have Leber’s Amaurosis, a disease of the eye that appears at birth; and in 2004, Courtney applied to Fidelco so that she could walk independently across the stage with Meeka and receive her high school diploma.
The importance of that day was not lost on Eddie because, although he was too young at the time to get a guide dog, he was fascinated by Meeka and the freedom and independence she brought to his sister. Eddie’s turn finally came in 2008 when he also applied to Fidelco and received Quinn. And next spring, when Eddie graduates, he will walk across that same stage with his guide dog that his sister bravely crossed not so long ago.
This will be an especially poignant moment for Marie Russo, Eddie’s and Courtney’s mother. With the addition of Quinn, Eddie’s upcoming graduation and Courtney graduating from college in May, her life is full of profound change. "It’s going to be hard and I worry so much about the both of them," she said. "But having a guide dog is going to be wonderful for Eddie. I saw how it changed Courtney’s life and I know he’s going to become even more independent and he’s going to thrive."
Eddie is fortunate in that he will benefit from Courtney’s experience as a Fidelco guide dog user. "I told him that when you get your guide dog on the first day, you’re scared as can be. But eventually, it ends up being wonderful and liberating." Courtney, like Marie, is also thinking about the many changes in store for her family in the next few months. "Eddie’s growing up really fast and to see him graduate from high school and go on to college with his guide dog is going to be so emotional."
As Eddie looks forward to college and a new life, he is extremely grateful for the independence that his Fidelco guide dog brings. "In addition to giving me the mobility I need, Quinn will also be a companion; someone who’s there for me. I know how wonderful that will be when I leave home for the first time."
The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation , Inc. is New England ’s only guide dog school. It breeds and trains German shepherd dogs that are placed with men and women with visual disabilities throughout the U.S. and Canada . As a non-profit organization, it relies solely on the gifts and the generosity of individuals, foundations, corporations and civic organizations. For more information, visit www.fidelco.org.
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