Maricopa youth is $3,500 closer to getting his seizure alert dog

More than 400 Maricopa residents attended a carnival at Legacy Traditional School Saturday to benefit Maricopa youth Justin Truett.

“The event was a great success, but we were not able to meet our goal,” said Justin’s mother, Desiree Truett.

Through the festival the family raised more than $3,500 to help purchase a seizure alert dog for Justin.

The family hopes the dog will help to alert them when Justin has silent seizures, so they can adjust his medications accordingly and prolong the youth’s life.

Justin has congenital cytomegalovirus, profound cognitive delay, seizure disorder cerebral palsy and microcephaly, meaning he has a small head. The long list of disorders means Justin can’t hold his head up properly and must wear braces to keep the bones in his ankles and wrist from fusing. His vocal abilities are limited, and he cannot eat on his own (see related article).

The money raised through the carnival, teamed with other donations the family has already received, puts their fundraising total near $7,000.

The cost of the dog is roughly $13,000, plus an additional $5,000 to $7,000 for the logistics of transporting the family to stay with the dog for two weeks to get him acclimated to the boy.

The family is now working with the Phoenix Suns to set up a group ticket buy and is also placing donation boxes in businesses around Maricopa.

To help Justin’s family in their quest to purchase a service dog for the youth, visit www.4pawsforability.org/dream.html#JustinTruett

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