Winnie (The Pooh)

Melissa and Winne (The Pooh)

My name is Melissa Reyna and I have been legally blind for most of my life.

I would love to share my story on how my guide dog Winnie-Pooh has touched and changed my life forever. Let me start by telling you about myself. I am 36 and a single mother to my 16-year old daughter, Samone. I was married for a little over 11 years and endured several years of verbal and physical abuse during part of the marriage. Until recently, I only had a high school diploma and limited skills for gaining employment.

My life took a turn for the better in 2004 when I made the decision to apply for a guide dog at the Guiding Eyes for the Blind school in New York. I convinced my husband (at the time) that a guide dog would enhance my life; and so the change began. Now, I would love to tell you about Winnie. Training at this school takes 4 weeks for a new guide dog team and I was ready and willing to learn. During the second week, Winnie started getting sick early in the A.M. times and the days in between her sickness grew closer together. None of the on-site instructors could figure out what the problem could be so the following week she was thoroughly examined by one of the vets on campus. Lab results showed Winnie had IBS which was causing her to get sick. They gave me the option of leaving her at the school and coming back at a later date to retrain with another dog but I had already been working hard with Winnie and didn't want to go home without her.

After being away for a month at Guiding Eyes, I returned with a greater since of independence and a beautiful black Lab that worked her tail off to make sure I was safe while traveling. Having my guide dog made my independent travel much more productive. It's been quite an adventure working with Winnie and I wouldn't have changed this experience for anything.

Winnie is an incredible dog! She loved to work for me and that in itself amazed me. When Guiding Eyes for the Blind decided that she was a match for me, they gave me the greatest gift of a loving companion, hard working, and patient life-long friend. To this day, I am still learning new things about Winnie. Even though I have had to retire her a few months ago due to her health issues, I know that she is the reason I was able to get out and start living life over again. I have come to realize that she not only has changed my life but that I needed her more than I thought.

Because of Winnie, I've become more independent which allowed me to gain the strength to make a better life for me and my daughter. Within a year after I brought Winnie home, I left an abusive relationship and began going to college. Since then, I have obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering of Technology and I am the first and only blind person to complete this Engineering program at HCC to date. During my college life, I have been recognized for my academic achievements, receiving several scholarships, awards, and am published in The National Dean's List Society book for the 2004-05 and 2006-07 years with honors.

I would have never imagined my life where it is now. Believe it or not, it all started with one very special dog! Winnie not only guided me in the right direction mobility wise, but through the course of my life when I needed it the most.