In case you are not familiar with the name, Alison Appleby is a teenage Texas girl who was crowned Miss Dallas Teen USA 2022 with Brady, her beloved service dog in training, by her side. It was an astonishing achievement for the lovely girl and a piece of heartwarming news for us.
As the first teen with epilepsy to enter and win the pageant competition, Appleby is encouraging teens with disabilities to never give up their dreams. After winning the competition on October 9, 2022, Appleby, of Grayson County, Texas, took to her Instagram page writing that she attended the beauty competition to just have fun and advocate for other girls with disabilities.
Luckily, Appleby won the competition and was in shock after she and her service dog officially received the title of Miss Dallas Teen USA 2022. Appleby was told by the judges that she won the competition because of her incredible pageant interview.
Appleby Refused to be Discouraged by a Random Stranger
When Appleby signed up for the 2022 pageant competition, a stranger attempted to discourage her by telling her that she couldn't do it because she has a service dog, according to Appleby. In addition, Appleby was told by the stranger that pageant girls don’t have disabilities.
Nevertheless, Appleby went ahead and participated in the show and proved the stranger wrong. Appleby's mom, Beth Appleby, told local news outlet K10 that she "wasn't nervous" about her young daughter entering the competition because she has her service dog Brady, who takes good care of her.
According to K10, Appleby was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2020, a common condition that causes frequent seizures and affects the brain. Brady the Golden Retriever, who is currently training to be able to fetch Appleby's medication, assists by alerting her to oncoming seizures. Nonetheless, Appleby said she reminds a lot of people that just because she has a chronic illness doesn't mean she's chronically ill.
How is Brady Actually Helping Appleby as Her Service Dog
As mentioned earlier, Brady the Golden Retriever is assisting Appleby by alerting her to oncoming seizures. The dog is also being trained to fetch Appleby's medication. In general, a service dog is a dog that is individually trained to assist a person with a disability lead a more independent life. Some types of service dogs include allergy detection dogs, diabetic alert dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, mobility assistance dogs, psychiatric service dogs, and seizure-alert dogs. Appleby's dog can be called a seizure-alert dog. According to UDS Services, a seizure-alert dog can help individuals with disabilities:
- By calling 911 with a K-9 alert phone to find help
- Regain consciousness after a seizure
- By moving them physically if they have a seizure in a vulnerable place
- End their seizure promptly using deep-pressure stimulation
- By bringing medicine to them as they come out of a seizure
According to the American Kennel Club, more than 80 million people in the United States have service dogs as valued working partners and companions. In the United States, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherd Dogs are the top breeds good at being service dogs.
17 Photos Of Alison Appleby and Her Adorable Golden Retriever Service Dog
Alison Appleby and Brady are expected to participate in the May 2023 Miss Dallas Teen USA in Houston.
