| Don Kanallakan was a
firefighter for 32 years, but nothing he experienced in those years
frightened him more than trying to cross the street with limited
vision using only a can. Don was terrified.
But in the years since he lost his vision to macular
degeneration, Don has learned that life doesn't have to end with the
loss of site...and that a guide dog can make a big difference.
Because Don still had some partial sight, he assumed he couldn't
have a guide dog. "My best friend is a Puppy Raiser for GDA,
and he said 'Go talk to them.' When I finally did, I found out that
I qualified for a guide dog."
"The people at GDA were so professional. They interviewed
me to find out about my lifestyle and used that to match me with a
dog. It has been like a dream come true. Kojak is fabulous.
Don and his wife Jessie are both retired. They spend half the
year in Ventura, CA, and half in Mazatian, Mexico, where they live
on a golf course. Golf has long been Don's favorite pastime and he
couldn't bear the thought of giving it up when he became blind. With
Kojak, a 2 1/2 year-old black lab helping him get around, and his
golf buddies pointing him in the right direction on the course, Don
has been able to continue his avocation. Kojak rides in a special
seat on Don's golf cart and seems to enjoy their time on the
links.
One of the highlights of the International Guiding Eyes
Foundation's (IGEF) recent Golf Tournament was the Long Drive
Contest. |
Sighted golfers paid $5
to try to out drive Don while wearing a blindfold. Not many even
came close. "What do you expect," says Don, "I hit
200 balls a day with no vision. So I had an advantage."
Still, it was a fun event that highlighted the fact that Don and
many other blind people are able to live full lives without sight.
Don is thrilled with how Kojak helps him.
"Kojak is so well trained that nothing ever surprises him.
Almost every day he keeps me from hurting myself. The sidewalks in
Mexico can be rally cluttered, but Kojak keeps me out of trouble. He
reads me like a book and anticipates which way I want to go.
"People have been great, both in the U.S. and in Mexico.
In restaurants in Mexico they always ask me if they can get food or
water for the dog. They love to see him.
"All my golf buddies are jealous. They want a dog like
Kojak. He's so intelligent. He's my pay. And he has done more than
just help me get around. He has returned to me my faith in myself.
I'm learning Braille now because having Kojak makes me feel like I
can do anything."
Thanks to all those who support GDA, Don leads a very full life,
including a round of golf every day. And Jessie is thrilled that her
husband can be more independent. There could hardly be a more moving
testimony to the value of guide dogs than to see Don, who was once
so frightened to travel by himself, striding confidently down the
street with Kojak at his side. They are a true team. |
