[nagdu] Donations pour in for New York City blind man saved by guide dog after subway fall

Thu Dec 19 16:15:53 UTC 2013

Hi All, 

I heard something about the dog was going to retire, and because the dog was not going to be a working dog, that was why he could not get help for him.  I say if people want to help him and his dog, all the power to them. 
I look at this as an opportunity for blind people to educate the public.  This dog was doing what he was trained to do, doing his job.  We as blind people and people who have guide dogs, should look at this as a chance to answer the questions from the public.  
I hope that local TV and radio stations around the country find a blind person and their dog and talk to them. Show the public what these awesome dogs do.  This can be done with a lot of respect and not make the person look like a circus acted. 
Barb 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Deanna Lewis" <DLewis at clovernook.org> 
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2013 7:59:14 AM 
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Donations pour in for New York City blind man saved        by        guide dog after subway fall 

Marsha, 
There has been a ton of talk about this on other lists. 
I believe that this man is a Veteran and has Veteran's insurance and that helps cover the costs for a service animal. 
He could also be referring to a stipend that he gets through SSI or SSDI to help with the costs. Then, it could be that the school the dog is from does not offer veterinary reimbursement for retired dogs. 
Hope that helps! 
Deanna and Pascal 

-----Original Message----- 
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marsha Drenth 
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2013 8:42 AM 
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Donations pour in for New York City blind man saved by guide dog after subway fall 

I also heard this on the radio and news. But I am a bit confused, can someone please explain what the man's health insurance has to do with keeping or not keeping the dog? I have never heard of health insurance covering a service animal. 

Marsha drenth 
Sent with my IPhone 

> On Dec 19, 2013, at 7:38 AM, "Ginger Kutsch" <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com> wrote: 
> 
> Donations pour in for New York City blind man saved by guide dog after 
> subway fall 
> 
> Published December 18, 2013/ 
> 
> FoxNews.com 
> 
> http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/18/donations-pour-in-for-new-york-ci 
> ty-bli nd-man-saved-by-guide-dog-after-subway/ 
> 
> 
> 
> Online donations topped $40,000 after a blind man who was rescued by 
> his guide dog told reporters that he needed to give up his beloved dog 
> because the dog was retiring and his insurance would no longer cover 
> the care for the animal, Reuters reported. 
> 
> 
> 
> "We recognize everyone's concern about Orlando's future, whether he 
> stays with Cecil or goes back to the loving home of his puppy raiser, 
> please know he will be honored like the hero he is," Guiding Eyes for 
> the Blind, the organization that provided Cecil Williams the dog, said in a statement. 
> 
> 
> 
> Williams, 61, who became blind after a bout with meningitis in 1995, 
> said he became dizzy Tuesday morning on the platform at 145th Street 
> in New York City and lost his footing. A quick-thinking subway 
> conductor managed to hit the brakes and the train, for the most part, safely passed over them. 
> Transit officials pulled Orlando out from under the train before 
> Williams was extracted with the help of a backboard and neck brace. 
> 
> 
> 
> Williams held a press conference at the hospital where he said his dog 
> is going to be retired and enjoy the remainder of his life. He thanked 
> those who contributed to these funds and said this is an example that 
> "good people still exist in this world." 
> 
> 
> 
> He said Orlando has been a loyal companion and said they are alike in 
> some ways. 
> 
> 
> 
> "We both have gentle souls," he said. 
> 
> 
> 
> Michelle Brier, the director of marketing from the organization, said 
> Williams had been planning to give up the dog he received from the 
> origination back in 2006 because caring for two dogs would have been a 
> hardship. Williams said he never wanted to give up the dog, but 
> keeping his was impossible because a retired guide dog is not covered by his insurance. 
> 
> 
> 
> "The dog saved my life," Williams told the Associated Press from St. 
> Luke's Hospital, where he was taken with a cut on his head. "I'm 
> feeling amazed. I feel that God, the powers that be, having something 
> in store from me. They didn't take me away this time. I'm here for a reason." 
> 
> 
> 
> Several donation web pages have been created in an effort to raise 
> enough money to keep the pair together, Reuters reported. Donations on 
> Indiegogo has already reached $19,000. On the site Gofundme, more than 
> 600 people have donated more than $21,000 for the cause. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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