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Little boy with epilepsy hoping for service dog to help with seizures

Noah Stone likes Power Rangers and puppy dogs, he’s a giggling little boy who is happy, but not entirely healthy. “He was diagnosed with epilepsy th...

Noah Stone likes Power Rangers and puppy dogs, he's a giggling little boy who is happy, but not entirely healthy.

"He was diagnosed with epilepsy the day after his fifth birthday," said his mom, Taylor Stone.

Severe seizures means that Noah must wear a helmet now almost every waking hour. The seizures drop him backwards on his little head, without warning. He's been to the emergency room a couple of times, there have been some bad falls.

"When he falls, he falls flat backwards. He's hit his head so many times and I just remember what that neurologist in Peoria said, you can only hit your head so many times, and it breaks," said Betty Stone, Noah's grandmother.

What Noah needs is a trained service dog, but they cost up to $15,000.  Noah's 20-year-old mother doesn't have that kind of cash.

Now, the Moline Police Benevolent Association is teaming up with the family to try and raise money to help Noah afford a four-legged friend to alert him of an oncoming seizure, and to break his fall.

"It's his lifeline, it's someone who is going to protect him 24-7, even when he's sleeping, that dog would be there with him," his grandmother said.

Paws for Noah is a fundraising campaign that is kicking off on Wednesday, April 22nd at Illinois Quad City McDonalds.  Customers will be asked to pay a dollar for a Paws for Noah sticker. A GoFundMe account has also been started.

An auction and fundraiser is set for Saturday, May 9th at Crabby's in Coal Valley.

Police are pumped.

"This would mean the world to the family", said Lt. Brian Johnson, with the Benevolent Association.

Noah in his helmet,  irresistible. And, ever the giggler.

"Strangers have helped. It's amazing," said Noah's grandmother.

 

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