Former Waxahachie teacher says new service dog is like a missing puzzle piece

WAXAHACHIE, Texas - A former Waxahachie High School teacher who lost his leg in a motorcycle crash now has a new four-legged friend to help him out.

Canine Companions

What we know:

The Canine Companions Center in Irving trains and matches service dogs for people with disabilities across four states.

On Friday, the center held a ceremony as the Lundberg family officially handed Newt’s leash over to the Rodriguez family.

Newt, a Labrador/Golden Retriever mix, was the perfect match for Robert Rodriguez.

The former high school biology teacher was nearly killed five years ago when an 18-wheeler made an illegal turn, crashing into him.

Newt will provide him with much-needed independence.

"I drop a lot of things. I drop my phone. I drop my wallet, unfortunately. It’s scary. When I have prosthetic on, I drop my cane. It just happens. It’s part of the process until I perfect it," he said. "This good boy, Newt, here is going to be a big help for that just by himself. I can say, ‘Get’ and he will grab it easily, gently hand it to me as I give him the command, ‘Give.’"

What they're saying:

Robert Rodriguez is looking forward to the new chapter that Newt will provide for his family.

His wife, Ashley, said Newt is already making a difference in Robert’s confidence.

"I hadn’t seen it since he was in a classroom until I saw him with Newt," she said.

"This is like a missing puzzle piece to our family, getting Newt. I feel like our puzzle is complete," Robert said.

Newt is the fifth dog the Lundbergs have raised for Canine Companions. 

"We definitely get attached to them, but I feel like I always keep their purpose in mind," said Laurie Lundberg. "I think a lot of times people are like, ‘I could never do that because I couldn’t give them back.’ And I would have to say with the first puppy I raised it was the most difficult but each one as you see them be successful it gets a little bit easier."

Robert said he is thankful for the Lundbergs’ selflessness.

Dig deeper:

Canine Companions is a nonprofit organization. It’s always looking for volunteers, puppy raisers, and donors to make it all happen.

For more information, visit canine.org.