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HILL AIR FORCE BASE — When Brianna Heim needs an extra hand, an extra paw is even better. She was born with Glutaric acidemia, a rare metabolic disease. Her body lacks the enzymes to break down proteins.
"We noticed her movements were different when she was about four months old," said Wendy Heim, Brianna's mother.
Brianna, who lives with her parents Scott and Wendy Heim at Hill Air Force Base, can't walk or stand without her walker. Her home is decorated with trinkets from around the world where her dad has served in the U.S. military working in munitions.
Simple movements and speech are difficult for Brianna. Picking up the stylus she uses to type to communicate is impossible. But it's no problem for Emily, a labrador-golden retriever mix, who brings it right to her. Brianna rewards her with coos of praise.
"She's helped a lot with Brianna's speech, with her fine and gross motor skills, and she just provides a constant companion," Wendy said.
Emily is a gift from Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit group. She began her training at 8 weeks old for the most important job of her life. The result? A bond that defies words.
"With these two, it was instant," Heim said. "From the second we were matched with her, Brianna and Emily were down cuddling on the dog bed."
This pup is Brianna's hands, arms, playmate and best friend. She knows 40 commands, and opens and closes door and cabinets, and even plays games with Brianna and helps her cheer on her special squad. When Brianna drops the stylus again, she makes a certain noise and Emily knows to pick it up, and loves every minute of it.
"Emily gets up on her lap to deliver the item and Brianna gets to hug and kiss her. Emily's tail goes a mile a minute," Heim said.
Since Brianna has a hard time enunciating, she's hard to understand. Yet Emily gets every command intuitively and obeys, with a sixth sense, Wendy said, and a tender heart.
"I would give Emily the command, 'to give,'" Heim said. "She waited until Brianna had a good grip on it and she would not let go until Brianna had a good grip on it, which I thought was amazing."
Emily sits on the floor with Brianna in their living room waiting for her turn to play a game — like a sibling. Emily pulled out plastic leaves from a plastic tree, a part of the game, with precision and patience. She pulled a crocheted handle that hangs from the pantry door to open it on Brianna's command.
But it's not all fun and games. Their partnership is vital, Heim said. Brianna has been to the ER four times since they got Emily in November. But with her dog by her side, Brianna finds comfort and strength.
She answers questions by typing with a stylus on her iPad — Emily is her makeshift desk. "I really love her," a computer generated voice translated. "I love that she cuddles with me."
Volunteer breeder caretakers taught the dog obedience training and socialization. Her good nature is a vital link for Brianna to the rest of the world, her mom said.
"It's a great way to bridge the gap with people who have disabilities and those without," Heim said. "They see the dog first and not her walker or wheelchair or her disability."
Brianna is a cheerleader and Emily is the squad's mascot. She has a uniform, too, and carries a pom pom in her mouth.
Man's best friend? Yes. And a little girl's heart too, her mother added.
Heather Simonsen is the health reporter for KSL 5 TV. She's been featured in O Magazine and the New York Times, Salt Lake Magazine, Utah Style & Design, and local newspapers. She was a spokeswoman for the Olympics, and is the mother of three.
