Picture this…August 2014. I recently graduated from the now closed College of Saint Rose in Albany with my bachelor’s degree in communications with a focus on journalism. There were few certainties at that time. When will I land a job? Who will give me a chance as a totally blind person? Will I, as someone who used to fear dogs, be able to trust one guiding me through life in New York’s Capital Region?
All of those questions were answered in only a few days when I arrived at The Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey on the week of Aug. 18. I accepted a job outside of my field as a Peer Advocate/Youth Transition Coordinator at the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley in Troy about an hour after arriving at the school. On Aug. 20 I was matched with an 18-month-old black lab named Flash, who could tell I was extremely nervous about having a dog lead me through life. He licked my face in a way that said: “I’ve got you Dad!”
On The Seeing Eye campus there’s a half-mile circular path called the leisure path which was the first time Flash and I walked together. Only another guide dog handler can explain the true freedom of grabbing a harness handle and trusting your dog to guide you in unfamiliar places. We trained in Morristown for a little over three weeks before coming home to figure out the route to my first “adult” job.
Though we spent several hours with an Orientation and Mobility Specialist learning the various route steps and bus transfers to/from home, it was the first of countless examples where Flash and I learned everything together. In the 9.5 years he worked with me, we moved three times: two different apartments and in 2021 to our house that I proudly own with my wife, Erin. He always kept me safe whether it was because of careless drivers or me being young and dumb in my ‘20s having a drink or several too many at the bar.
Flash was also part of some of the biggest moments in my life, from helping me impress Erin on our first date in 2017, wearing the ring box on his collar as part of my engagement proposal here on our deck, and the ring bearer and star of our wedding in 2023. A few months after our wedding he retired after a long and amazing working career.
Just two weeks before Christmas of 2023 Flash became a big brother, welcoming my second Seeing Eye Dog Victor into our house. While Victor worked (which ultimately, he had a short career because of anxiety) Flash enjoyed life going on walks, rides with Erin, and going through therapy dog certification because he thrived on purpose.
In May of 2025 Flash welcomed my current Seeing Eye Dog Igor: a chocolate lab with amazing work ethic and endless energy. We became a family of six in August of last year when we welcomed our first child, Collin. One of the cutest moments I’ll likely ever witness was Flash putting his head on Collin when we brought him home from the hospital. It’s safe to say we were a happy, chaotic family that at the same time were feeling the stress of multiple transitions in such a short period of time.
By this point Flash was 12 and a half years old with his health starting to take a turn. He and Igor were inseparable. It was as if Flash was saying: “You’re now the new leader and I’m going to show you the ropes of dealing with Mom, Dad, Collin, and Victor. I also need to show you my perimeter checks of the yard.”
Fast forward to June of this year, where on the 18th Flash crossed the rainbow bridge to freedom from doggy dementia, kidney failure, and other health issues. While I’ve experienced grief from losing all of my grandparents, cousins who died too young, and high school/college friends, this was a completely different layer of grief that can only be explained if you have lost a service animal.
I want to take a stab at educating people about service animal grief because we received both a tremendous amount of support, along with being told countless times: “I know how it feels to lose a pet.” It’s a classic case of good intentions but the execution misses the mark because service animals are not just pets with a purpose.
Flash taught me more than just how to take care of a dog and be a handler. He showed me the importance of trust, following my intuition, and so much more that I don’t have the space to write. Without him I’d likely be traveling with a white cane that did not allow me to feel safe when crossing busy streets (which I do often). Victor and Igor definitely wouldn’t be here. Would Erin have said yes? Flash certainly was the savior of my universe in more ways than one.
Opinions expressed are solely those of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Able News at The Viscardi Center and/or The Viscardi Center.