Miles & Ravioli
Miles of Smiles with Ravioli
Miles is an outgoing, kind, and vibrant young man who lights up every room he enters. He loves being outdoors, playing games, watching sports, and spending time with his brothers and friends. But life hasn’t always been easy for Miles.
Miles and his twin brother, Mack, were born premature and not breathing. Doctors worked quickly to successfully resuscitate both boys, but Miles lost oxygen long enough to develop a traumatic brain injury called periventricular leukomalacia, which caused spastic triplegic cerbral palsy. A full-time wheelchair user, Miles’s disabilities affect the right side of his body and both of his legs. He also struggles with anxiety.
As Miles grew older in a world often not designed with accessibility in mind, daily life became more difficult to navigate. He couldn’t reach dropped items, light switches, or automatic door buttons. At night, when he felt scared or had nightmares, he couldn’t get out of bed to find help. He struggled with the independence he desired.
“One day, I was cooking dinner. Miles had dropped a toy, and he was screaming at me that he wanted the toy and couldn’t reach it,” shared Miles’s mom, Lauren. “I was stirring dinner and couldn’t help him right away. It hit me then that Miles needed help, and I couldn’t be there all the time. He needed somebody who could always be there—a partner.”
And that somebody just so happened to be Freedom Service Dog Ravioli.
Sweet and silly, Ravioli was Miles’s perfect match. He was custom-trained to assist Miles by pressing automatic door buttons, retrieving dropped items, finding help in times of need, and more. “Sometimes when I drop a toy, Ravioli can pick it up for me. Or if the button is too high, he can push it,” said Miles. “He helps me a lot. If I’m frightened or have a bad dream, Ravioli can tell. He gets up when I’m sleeping and gets my mom. He helps me and protects me. He makes me very happy.”
While Ravioli does provide helpful physical assistance for Miles, it’s the love, comfort, joy, and companionship he brings that has truly changed Miles and his family’s lives.
Today, Miles shares his adventures with Ravioli on social media to help others see what life is like in a wheelchair and with a service dog. Together, they cheer on their favorite players at Colorado Avalanche games, run lemonade stands, visit arcades, attend FSD events, and enjoy nonstop fun with friends and family.
“Freedom Service Dogs are much more than just dogs,” Lauren said. “There’s no better organization to support. What FSD does is life-changing.”
You can make more stories like Miles and Ravioli’s possible by giving a gift of any amount to FSD. Your generous support helps us partner more custom-trained assistance dogs with veterans and first responders with PTSD or traumatic brain injuries, young adults with autism, and individuals with mobility challenges.
Dogs make a difference. You can too. Give today!
If this story made your tail wag, you may also enjoy:
Doug & Thumper: Bringing Sunshine to the Frontlines
Contact Erin Conley at [email protected] for all media inquiries.