A community dinner Friday, May 7, at the Sperryville

A community dinner Friday, May 7, at the Sperryville fire hall will help raise money for the trip.

Island Dolphin Care was begun in 1997 by Deena and Peter Hoagland after witnessing the progress that can be jump-started by dolphinassisted therapy. Their son Joe was bom with a rare and usually fatal heart condition. Following his third open heart surgery, he suffered a stroke, and when the three-year-old regained consciousness eight days later, doctors found severe damage to the right hemisphere of his brain. His left arm and leg were paralyzed, he could distinguish only shadows with his left eye, and he was unable to stand, sit or lie down without assistance. The Hoaglands lived in Colorado. Doctors advised moving to sea level to lessen the strain on Joe’s weakened heart and lungs, so the family joined Deena’s father in Florida.

And there boy met dolphin.

Deena Hoagland, a licensed clinical social worker, had heard about dolphinassisted therapy and its success in helping critically ill children improve motor functions and communication skills. She was determined to try it for her son. Between 40pound Joe Hoagland, just two months out of a coma, and 600pound Fonzie, the dolphin, something clicked. Joe swam with Fonzie, laughed with Fonzie and fought hard to regain the use of his left hand so he could feed his friend.

For reasons known only to the dolphin, Fonzie wouldn’t take fish unless it was tossed from the left hand. After months of work, Joe was able to open his left fingers to grab a herring and, with his mother supporting his wrist, throw the * fish into Fonzie’s open mouth. He progressed to holding a ring for Fonzie to jump through, and finally, after more long months of effort, Joe lifted a ball over his head with both hands and heaved it to his buddy.

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