Having a disability is often very isolating and can make everyday tasks frustrating or impossible. Through special training to assist with daily living tasks, the Helping Paws service dogs promote confidence and renew self esteem, allowing many of our graduates to live more independent lives both at home and in public.

After a devastating football accident left 17-year-old Tyler Olson of Lake Mills, Iowa, paralyzed, very few certainties remained. Unsure of which physical functions he would recover, Olson was provided one assurance – Charlie.

As Tyler began his recovery process at the Courage Center in Golden Valley, he was visited by two guests that created a special spark and a new motivation. Jake Beckstrom, a teen who also had a spinal cord injury, learned to find a new normalcy through a Helping Paws service dog named Miles. Tyler saw the incredible connection between his two visitors and was motivated to apply for a service dog of his own.

Tyler met Charlie in April 2009 and from the very first encounter, a bond was formed. “He got up on my lap and it was love at first sight. I ended up going to Helping Paws’ headquarters and meeting with some other dogs, but none connected the way Charlie and I did.”

The two have become very close and are grateful for each other’s support. Tyler has recently learned that going to baseball games is Charlie’s new favorite thing to do. “He likes watching the warm-up and all the balls flying everywhere – he just loves that,” Tyler said. “And that’s good because we’re both big baseball fans.”