When we walked into that city council chamber, I never expected anything to change. I wasn’t there to speak; I was simply showing up to support funding for the service animal program.
What I didn’t expect was that a quiet moment, one that seemed insignificant at first, would turn into something life-changing for my son and me.
Nolan, my son, has always been quiet. He speaks slowly, and only to a handful of trusted people—his father, me, and, of course, Hunter, his golden retriever service dog. Hunter was more than just a companion; he was Nolan’s voice, his confidant, his lifeline.
For years, my husband Daniel had downplayed the challenges of staying home with a child, especially one with autism. He had always said things like, “How hard can it be? Just feed him, change a diaper, and maybe do some laundry. It’s not rocket science.”
