Six-Year-Old Paralyzed Girl Fell In Love With Her Service Dog

• Six-year-old Memphis Rose got into a car accident on June 7, causing her paralysis.
• Her mother, Gayrene Meade, said that Memphis Rose’s recovery is going to take many months or even years.
• When Juliet, a 4-month-old golden retriever, came into her life, Memphis Rose fell in love instantly and renewed her motivation to face the future.

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The first time Memphis Rose Hamman, a 6-year-old girl who recently got paralyzed, met her service dog, a 4-month-old golden retriever named Juliet, they fell in love with each other instantly. 

“Juliet took one look at Memphis Rose in her wheelchair and jumped onto her lap, licking her and cuddling,” Gayrene Meade, Memphis Rose’s 30-year-old mother, described the meet-up to PEOPLE which happened outside the St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 27.

“My daughter is a dog lover and wants to be a veterinarian. She was so happy to meet Juliet that she smiled brighter than I have ever seen,” she added.

The devastating news about the tragic car accident that involved her daughter, her mom, Tanya Meade, and her uncle Kenneth Graden, came on the evening of June 7. 

Gayrene, who is a single mom, was heartbroken with what happened. Her daughter who was sitting in the back seat had a damaged lung, fractured neck and spine. Her mom who was the one driving had a shattered knee, while her uncle died the day following the accident.

“The impact caused my baby daughter to go into cardiac arrest,” Gayrene said. “She was without breath for 2 1/2 minutes and couldn’t move. Fortunately, there was a doctor on the scene who started CPR until a Trauma Hawk air ambulance took her to St. Mary’s Medical Center. The neurosurgeon said her spinal injury is one she may not recover from, and her chances of paralysis are significant.”

Memphis Rose underwent surgery in the spine, a tracheotomy, and still remains on a ventilator. Her recovery is going to take many months or even years. But the little one proved to be tough and cried twice only, says her mom. 

Lori Griffith from Jupiter, Florida, founder of  Chasin A Dream Foundation, heard that Memphis Rose has always wanted to have a dog for her own. So she made some arrangements and Juliet, a confident pup, came into Memphis Rose’s life.

They have since been meeting regularly and Juliet even accompanied them for spinal rehabilitation at a hospital in Philadelphia. Their friendship grows deeper and deeper. 

While Juliet is still training to be the most skillful service dog for Juliet, they will still see each other for sure.

“Memphis Rose will grow with Juliet, they will have sleepovers, then eventually Juliet will be with us all of the time,” Gayrene said.

Source: PEOPLE