Maximus Quimby is a brave little boy who works through unimaginable challenges. His family is dedicated to minimizing his struggles as much as possible, which is why they are raising money for his future service dog.
Maximum has been conquering life’s battles for eight years. Not only does he have to maneuver the difficulties that autism brings, but he also has a painful autoimmune condition known as encephalitis.
This means that not only does Maximus struggle to connect socially with the people in his life, he does so while also enduring an unimaginable headache. This form of encephalitis is known to cause a melting headache, which many say feels as if your brain is on fire.
Due to his daily struggles, Max is unable to attend school. His days are filled with homeschool curriculum and specialized therapy, but even these activities can be challenging. This is why his family is doing everything possible to give their son a service dog, as this will offer him constant support as he works through each day.
“Sometimes we can’t tell what he’s dealing with, If it’s necessarily autism or if it’s the autoimmune encephalitis. But it can also be really painful for him because it makes the brain feel like it’s on fire inside of his skull.” – Linda Nunes-Quimby, Maximus’s mom
His parents mention that they have two family dogs that Max connects with deeply, but they are not trained to offer him official support. Max has always been able to bond with the animals in his life, proving just how beneficial an official service dog could be.
“We felt that a support animal would be the perfect fit for him because my wife and I are not always going to be able to be with him in every single situation. Knowing that he would have some sense of normalcy, some sense of calm, and the ability to help regulate his feelings in those situations would be amazing for him. – Linda Nunes-Quimby, Maximus’s mom
Max’s family heard about a nonprofit called 4 Paws for Ability when he was much younger, but a service dog was not yet on their radar. Now that Max is getting older and will likely require more support into his teenage years, they made the decision to reach out to the organization for help. Maximus was approved for an Autism Assistance Dog with the nonprofit, but there’s much more to the process than that.
Unfortunately for Maximus and his family, service dogs are very expensive. Each dog will need to undergo extensive training before they are matched with a child, as well as the training that ensues once the dog enters the family’s home.
“Once the money is raised, my understanding is that then when they have a litter of puppies born, they do temperament testing to see which dogs fit which kids or anyone’s needs the most, and then at that point, they’ll begin training.” – Linda Nunes-Quimby said.
The Quimby family is asking for everyone’s help in giving Max the service dog he so desperately needs. If you would like to donate to their cause, be sure to take a look at the options listed below.
Online donation: Mighty Cause link
Donation over the phone: (937) 374-0385 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST
Donation by check: Write the check to “4 Paws for Ability” and write “Max Quimby” on the memo line. The mailing address for the check should be written as:
4 Paws for Ability
207 Dayton Ave
Xenia, OH 45385
We are so glad that Max has a family willing to advocate for his needs, and we hope that he will soon be paired with the service dog of his dreams!
H/T: news5cleveland.com
Image Source: Linda Nunes-Quimby
