College graduate with neurological disease walks stage with service dog by her side
Graduating college is a major milestone for anyone. But for Sarah Mendenhall, walking across the stage at the University of Oklahoma was something she had to fight for her life to do.
"Just being able to walk across the graduation stage with zero help besides my little buddy was a huge accomplishment," Mendenhall said.
It was a moment the recent graduate didn't think was possible and a milestone doctors didn't know she'd be alive for.
Seven years ago, Mendenhall was a high school senior pursuing music. But life had other plans.
"I went to the ICU and 48 hours later, I was paralyzed from the neck down," she said.
What started as signs of a simple flu turned out to be a rare neurological condition known as acute flaccid myelitis. It's a disease that targets the nervous system and causes muscle weakness or paralysis.
"Doctors are telling my family they didn't know if I was going to make it. I was placed on life support. I had a breathing tube for 35 days and was in the ICU for 41 days," Mendenhall said. "It was devastating. I wanted to go into music, and I wanted to specifically go into vocal performance. At that time, my doctors told me my vocal cords were paralyzed."
Mendenhall fought for each step forward, and she slowly started to move again with her service dog, Oliver, by her side.
"He is my mobility dog. He helps me. If I start to lose my balance, I grab onto him. If I fall, he knows how to help pick me back up. He has become this emotional support dog through it all," Mendenhall said. "When I'm feeling down, he's right there."
After months of intensive therapy, all that work was for this weekend's moment – walking side by side with her special friend.
"It was very overwhelming. It was emotional. Just hearing everyone's support made me emotional," Mendenhall said. "He's really just become a special dog."
She graduated with a degree in communications and a dream of working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hoping to make a change for students just like her.
