Xena is not your everyday dog. And Johnny Hickey is not any ole boy. The fact that they came together is truly remarkable.
Xena is a pitbull who was rescued by an animal shelter in Georgia about two years ago. She was a small puppy then, although hardly recognizable. She was malnourished, severely dehydrated, and emaciated. She could barely sit up and had a skin disorder leaving her with terrible sores and hair loss.
She was in such bad shape that the local veterinarian had little hope of saving her. He put her chances of survival at less than one percent.
People throughout the nation followed Xena’s progress and namely Linda Hickey, Johnny’s mother. Johnny was born with a brain disorder, autism, that was not diagnosed for several months. He remained isolated from other people and lagged behind in developmental and learning skills.
Numerous therapies were not making as much headway as the Hickeys might have hoped. Fast forward to today.
The Hickey family adopted Xena when she was able to leave the hospital. When Xena arrived in the home, the bond between her and Johnny was immediately apparent. Johnny started picking up his own responsibilities and also began coming out of his shell. He learned to be comfortable touching another living being. Johnny and Xena share a special bond that has gone a long way towards helping a boy with autism cope in his world.