Oliver was paired with Dash in July of 2020. Oliver has a chronic sleep disorder that disrupts his sleep-wake cycle and made each day feel unpredictable and overwhelming.
Oliver’s Life Before Dash
Oliver’s condition was not diagnosed until halfway through his junior year. As a result, he tried to overcompensate his exhaustion by intensifying his perfectionism and leading to a yearly burnout.
How Dash Changed Oliver’s Life
Oliver said this all changed once he got paired with Dash. She allows him to maintain a consistent schedule but also understands that some days he’ll sleep in. If he gets too focused on a single task for too long, she’ll stick her head out from under his desk to tell him to take a break.
A huge improvement has been his safety at night. His medication causes him to become very groggy and hungry all at once. He used to wake up in his desk chair covered with food or passed out in the kitchen. Now Dash makes sure he always wakes up in bed. When she can’t help him alone, Dash knows to wake up his parents.
Another game-changer is Oliver’s ability to drive. Before he wouldn’t know if he’d get a sleep attack behind the wheel, severely disrupting his reaction time and spatial awareness, making driving terrifying. A few months after having Dash, he decided to try driving again and realized she alerted him to his anxiety and sleep attacks prior to them occurring. Just recently, on the way to the DMV, she suddenly began to whine and licked his neck. A few minutes later, he felt a wave of exhaustion but didn’t panic because he was prepared for it.
Oliver going to college was also made possible because of Dash. He recently finished up his sophomore year in person and is excited for the next two years as well. Oliver said he genuinely would not have felt safe enough to go to college alone due to his night medication and tendency to spiral if he doesn’t maintain healthy habits.
At the end of even the most stressful day, Dash knows how to make Oliver smile and laugh. Oliver said, “She and I are a team, and I’m so grateful to have her.”
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Mary Jo has an extensive history working with the media as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University. Mary Jo has worked for companies such as Gannett, News Bank Inc., E.W. Scripps Company, Lee Enterprises, Pulitzer, Inc., Arthur Andersen, and has been involved with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. since 2011. Ms. Brandt has had many hours of training in leadership, coaching, and mentoring. Her teams have consistently been highly effective in support of organizational mission and goals. She has one son, Paul who is currently in the Navy, and a daughter, Amanda in college and working full-time for a law firm in Naples. Ms. Brandt began volunteering with Guardian Angels after both her father and previous employer received a Guardian Angels Service Dog in 2011. Seeing the incredible difference service dogs could make in the lives of their recipients, she became involved through volunteering her time & talent to Guardian Angels. Ms. Brandt was then asked to join the Board of Directors and has served as a Board Member since 2013. Recently, Mary Jo has been named as a 2021 Patriot Scholarship recipient from Colorado Technical University. When asked why this scholarship and completing her Master’s Degree in Business Administration was so important to her, she responded, “This scholarship represents how important education is to our military/veterans and their families. I am honored to be part of this unique community. I am already in a career that demonstrates my commitment to helping others, I expect finishing this degree will allow me to be much more effective in my pursuit of working with our Veterans. This scholarship isn’t just about me. It is about how I can help others.” Today we face an even bigger challenge that none of us saw coming during the midst of the pandemic and worldwide economic collapse beginning to unfold. Yet again, Mary Jo is stepping up to the plate to be sure that our organization continues to serve those that need us, as we triumph in the face of untold adversity of today’s world. Businesses will only survive these difficult times because of leaders like Mary Jo.
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