Blind Tucson boy finds hope in his new best friend
Family adopted dog from Humane Society of Southern Arizona
Reporter: Justin Schecker
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - It hasn't been easy for new best friends Marco and Claire.
Twelve-year-old Marco has endured many medical hardships, including losing his vision when he was six.
"Sometimes it's tough, but he makes it easy because he's always smiling and he doesn't give up," said Cynthia Martinez, Marco's mother.
Six-year old shepherd mix Claire has moved in an out of shelters, most recently the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.
"They think that because they're in a shelter they won't be able to make good companion pets," said Samantha Esquievel of the Humane Society.
But the instant bond between Marco and Claire proves that wrong. It took a lot of convincing, but Marco's mother finally agreed to take him to the Humane Society right before Christmas.
"Not a lot for him to do for various reasons or he has to be real careful," she said. "I was like okay, it's time for a dog, he needs that companion."
"They let go of her leash and she came right back to me. I knew she was the right dog for me," Marco said, recalling the first time he met Claire.
And now, Marco's mother has no regrets about the decision to adopt Claire.
"He's out here walking around the park, which two weeks ago between energy level and depression he wouldn't have wanted to do," she said.
"It was a lot easier just to have someone to keep me company when I was down," Marco said.
And that's why Claire is much more than just the best Christmas present ever.
"She never leaves my side," Marco said.
They hope to enroll Claire in a training program to become a certified service dog.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.