Over a year ago we wrote a post about a girl from Florida who, among other things, suffered a serious spine injury while visiting an amusement park in another state. Her injuries occurred when the individual in charge of the ride told the girl to jump before the safety net was properly in place. When she jumped, this meant that she fell 100 feet to the ground below.
In addition to the spinal injury, which was due to her spinal cord stretching, she also suffered a brain injury, a broken pelvis and various internal injuries.
Since that previous post the girl, who is now 15-years-old, has continued to work through her recovery. That effort will now be aided by help from actor Charlie Sheen. The celebrity, who often makes the news for engaging in actions that are less than savory, has provided the necessary funding for the teen to receive a therapy dog. Perhaps not surprisingly, the girl has named the do Charlie. It is unclear how the actor heard about the girl or why he decided to assist.
The dog, that is still a puppy, is already being trained. Once he is ready for the girl, the animal will be able to do such things as open doors for its owner. Completion of tasks such as this one will hopefully provide the teen with more independence, something that is so important to individuals that age.
Serious injuries such as those to the brain and spine can have far reaching after effects. While physical therapy can go a long way to help the injured person get their life back, the use of dogs for therapy can also play an important role.
Source: TMJ4, “Charlie Sheen pays for therapy dog for teen injured at Wisconsin Dells,” Jesse Ritka, Feb. 18, 2013
- Spinal injuries can lead to unimaginable expenses. Our firm provides counsel in personal injury matters including the one discussed in this post. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our Miami spinal cord injuries page.