New Campus.
Canine Companions for Independence relocates to New Albany
By Brandon Klein
22
Trevor Comeau with his dog Drey II, who helps him with tasks such as picking up dropped items and closing the door. www.healthynewalbanymagazine.com
Photos courtesy of Canine Companions for Independence, North Central Region
T
revor Comeau doesn’t remember his life-changing accident. In May 2010, when vacationing in Jamaica, Comeau swam off the boat and into a cave. Inside, he attempted to jump off a cliff but slipped and fell. He floated out of the cave. “I woke up in Florida,” he says. Since then, Comeau has adjusted to his new normal as someone with quadriplegia, but he doesn’t have to do it alone. His new life led him to connect with Drey II, an assistance dog from Canine Companions for Independence. “His companionship and having him with me has made a world of difference,” Comeau says. The first year following his accident was the slowest for Comeau, with winter being horrible because he had to stay inside all the time. He continued to improve enough to use a manual wheelchair. During his recovery journey, Comeau came across several clients who had CCI assistance dogs. “I really wanted one,” he says. Drey was the first dog Comeau worked with during his training at CCI. He knew instantly it was the dog he wanted to be matched with after issuing his first command for Drey to lay his head on his lap. “I didn’t need to work with any other dogs,” he says. “I was good.”
