Help fund Miley's service dog.

Miley's Story

A diagnosis at five months old

Miley was born in July 2010. Just shy of five months old, after multiple tests, we finally got a name for what was happening: tuberous sclerosis complex, or TSC.

TSC is a genetic condition that causes benign tumors to grow in the brain, kidneys, skin, and other organs. It can bring seizures, developmental delays, autism, and anxiety, and it affects every person differently. In Miley's case, it came out of nowhere. About two-thirds of TSC cases are de novo mutations, brand new in the child. We were both genetically tested. Neither of us carries it.

We have been learning what TSC means ever since. Miley takes medication for her kidneys. When she turns 18, she will start being screened for LAM, a lung condition tied to TSC. Every May, we mark TSC Global Awareness Day and hope for a cure.

Growing up different

From early on, Miley's world worked differently. She has autism and anxiety. And from the time she was three, she lived with selective mutism: she wanted to talk, but the words would not come out around most people. It was officially diagnosed in first grade.

We called her Smiley Miley, and the name fit. She found ways to be brave on her own terms. In 2020, at a Ninja Zone competition, she stood in front of a gym full of people and said the Ninja Creed out loud to the judge, loud enough to be heard. For a kid with selective mutism, that was enormous.

Maverick

By 2017, we knew Miley needed more support than people alone could give. We started fundraising for an autism service dog: Super Bowl squares, a GoFundMe, whatever it took. We raised over $5,700 before he even arrived.

In March 2018, Maverick came home. A labradoodle with a job to do.

Over the years, Maverick became more than a service dog. He went to school with Miley. He steadied her when her world was changing and things felt rough. He flew across the country with her, charmed a zoo full of primates, and was simply there, every day. He gave Miley confidence, independence, comfort, and security in ways we can never fully put into words. He helped her navigate a world that can often feel overwhelming.

Jiu jitsu changes everything

On September 14, 2022, Miley walked into her first Brazilian jiu jitsu class at Dogwood BJJ. She loved it. No anxiety or fear at all. By day five, she was doing competition rounds.

Then the breakthroughs started coming fast.

In November 2022, Miley raised her hand in class and quietly answered her coach's question. She had not spoken a word to anyone outside the family since we moved to Tennessee. We cried.

In February 2023, five months into training, Miley entered her first competition and took home two silver medals, one by guillotine choke. That May she earned her grey and white belt. Her developmental team was so impressed by her confidence and communication that they wrote a medical letter of necessity, crediting her jiu jitsu training directly.

She kept going. More promotions. In September 2024, she talked to four teammates at BJJ in one night, two of them fairly new faces. In May 2025, at the Fuji Western Kentucky Championships, she fought through a bloody nose and arm injuries and brought home gold in her grey belt gi division, bronze in a higher division, and silver in advanced no-gi. Today she is a three-stripe grey belt who competes, and she has fallen completely in love with the sport.

It changed the whole family. Heidi started training in 2023, earned her blue belt, tried kickboxing, and competed herself at almost 56. In August 2026, Miley added hip hop dance and loved that too.

Finding her voice

In April 2025, Miley started a ten-week virtual treatment program for selective mutism, practicing exposures in daily life, starting at the dojo with a simple hi and bye. She kept at it.

For her 16th birthday in July 2026, we surprised her with a trip to Universal. Strangers kept wishing her happy birthday, and she answered every one of them in a normal voice. She ordered her own food and drinks, every time. We knew exactly how far that was from the little girl who could not speak at all.

Why a new service dog

Maverick is getting older and approaching retirement. He still loves his job, but he has earned a slower pace. And as Miley has grown, so have her needs.

With TSC, autism, anxiety, and other challenges, the tasks a service dog can perform have become even more important. As Miley enters adulthood, a specially trained service dog can help keep her safe, increase her independence, and support her in everyday life. The way Maverick always did: confidence, independence, comfort, security.

We are in contract with 4 Paws for Ability. A fully trained service dog costs about $43,000, and through grants and assistance, we are responsible for raising approximately $23,000 before Miley can be matched with her dog. One gift in starting early: Maverick will be there to help train and mentor the new dog, which should make the transition smoother for everyone, especially Miley.

How you can help

We have always fundraised together, and out in the open. Miley makes fidget spinner pens by hand and sells them for $5. We sell farm fresh eggs by the dozen. Our trifold display tracks every donation with paper paws, bones, and hearts, one for each donor.

Because of you, Miley will never walk alone.