Jameson Wall, a 7-year-old autistic boy from Tennessee, was born dependent on drugs and was later diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder. His early years were a series of doctor visits and hospital stays.
In other words, it was not easy for young Jameson. Life is also tough for Brucey, a stray dog who ends up living in a nearby shelter. By chance, these two souls have found each other, and their lives will change for the better.
About Jameson’s condition
Jameson’s mother Laura Wall, who adopted him when he was a toddler, revealed to WVLT:
“We went to countless therapy appointments. You name it, we’ve tried it and nothing seems to help. “
For a little more technicality, Jameson Childhood-onset acute neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS).
Jameson’s condition has neurological as well as social and emotional consequences. Laura explains:
“He may wake up one morning and it looks like he has Parkinson’s and he can’t say words that he could say clearly before. He will engage in acts of self-harm and blood draw. “
A rescue dog connects with an adopted toddler
Enter ‘Sushi’, the dog (not the food). Sushi, formerly known as Brucey, was sold at Focus on Cumberland County Animal Safety (FOCCAS) in nearby Crossville. The shelter posted a photo of him online, noting that he has the potential to be a service dog.
As FOCCAS Founding President Jan Hendrixson described him:
“He is a very calm dog, but most importantly he wants to please. That’s what he lives for.”
Jameson’s parents saw how well he reacted to a dog at Monroe Carrell Jr Children’s Hospital. by Vanderbilt. They considered buying a dog to help their son physically and emotionally.
But what really made the family adopt Sushi was Jameson’s reasoning:
“I adopted Sushi because it doesn’t have a home.”
Laura recalls completing the adoption of Jameson in 2018 “after 717 days and 15 days in court.” She thinks that he and Sushi have such a deep relationship because they share a past.
“Both know what it feels like to be homeless. And to not be wanted. But they both know what it feels like to find a family…. Neither of them had a safe place to land. They both took a long time to wait for that safe place to land and both held on and persevered.”
A FOCCAS volunteer drove Sushi for two hours to reach his new family. Hendrixson posted a story written by Brenda Yung, describing that day:
“Brucey burst through their door and greeted “J” like a long-lost friend. Instantly and flawlessly master the art of medical “compression therapy” like he has a PhD in it! “J” was filled with smiles and giggles and mom knew it was a hit. Many tears of joy were secretly shed in that moment, why they were held back, we don’t know… but will never be able to forget them.”
How the dog and the boy helped each other
Evidence show that that calm, trained dogs can stabilize one’s blood pressure, reduce anxiety and encourage communication. Sushi’s presence clearly helped Jameson a lot.
Jameson’s father, Corey, explains:
“Sushi can get him out of a stressful time very quickly. Other kids are wanting to be with him more since Sushi entered his life.”
Laura built on her husband’s observations:
“He has the ability to form relationships with people now, through the dog. We know he has it in his heart. He has the capacity.”
Sushi completed a training program in Georgia in July. Recently, Sushi went with Jameson to a health check and according to Laura, it was the first time her son didn’t cry at the hospital.
FOCCAS’ Hendrixson feels emotional about J and Sushi’s relationship. She shared:
“We live for this. This type of adoption is rare. We get chills just talking about it. I can’t imagine a better life for a dog than having your own baby that you get to take care of. This seems to be the perfect match for Sushi, and we couldn’t be happier.”
This is a beautiful version of the saying “who saved whom”.
Featured pictures: Facebook
