Hunter VanBrocklin, 10, was born with cerebral palsy and has had it since he was two years old. In January, he underwent hip dysplasia surgery and now relies heavily on Wendy, a Great Dane service dog.
Hunter enjoys being outside and spends most of his free time hiking with his family in Alfred, Maine.
He also used to practice walking on his own when he was younger. However, everything changed when Wendy entered their lives in 2013. Hunter admitted that he loved to walk a lot and he liked doing it with Wendy’s help.
The small boy claimed that all he had to do was tug on the dog’s harness, and she would follow him around wherever he went. According to Hunter’s mother, Kelly, Wendy, brings her son a lot of joy and comfort. And she feels at ease every time she watches them spending time together.
The dog is constantly there to console and help Hunter walk. The strong bond that the two developed in such a short period of time is undeniable. It also seemed like the dog was the kid’s guardian angel, who was constantly on guard to make sure that no harm would actually come to him.
Hunter’s orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Shore, claimed he noticed a significant improvement in the youngster’s body. He went on to say that Wendy did an excellent job of making the kid stronger and better at walking. Hunter gets botox and phenol injections every 6 to 12 months to help relax his muscles and reduce stiffness in his ankles.
According to the doctors, in roughly 18 months, the kid will be able to walk again. Hunter was confident that with Wendy by his side, everything would fall into place. He further said that no challenge was too great for him, and pledged that he and Wendy would one day climb Mount Everest together.
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Credit: abc4utah
