Community rallies for Cains

After 10 years of assisting Nicholas Cain in his day-to-day life, his service dog SHAW passed away, and now the local community is trying to help raise funds to get the Sampson native another one.

Myra Cain, Nicholas’ mother, explained that SHAW died April 15, and the family did not have the money necessary to get Nicholas a new service dog. But, she said, her friends and the surrounding community stepped up and organized a benefit for the family.

“Our friends and community found out about the need; you know, it does cost for them to train the dogs and there is a fee, they call it a tuition, and it’s actually a pay it forward campaign that the organization uses. And so, they (the community) found out that we didn’t have the money to get (the dog) right now, so, they just organized it and then the Grateful (Shed), you know, started trying to work something out,” Myra said.

“I honestly didn’t know how we were going to come up with the money, and Lisa and Brenda and all the friends from church and our community and friends that I have had all my life just got together and came up with the idea and told Nicholas, you’re going to get this dog.”

One of the community members spearheading the benefit, Leisa Henderson, said she and others wanted to do something for the Cain family because of the long-standing and strong faith the family has.

“It’s a story of faith,” Henderson said, her voice nearly a whisper. “Myra and Roger Cain got married some 30-plus years ago, and they prayed and prayed and prayed for a child. They were told they could never have a child, but she got pregnant, and she had a child. Her son, Nick, was premature. He weighed one pound 11 ounces when he was born.”

Henderson went on to say that even though Nicholas was born premature, when he was able to leave the hospital, he grew up as a “perfectly healthy, normal child.” She said he played baseball, took piano lessons, was active in church. But when he was 8 years old, the contracted a virus.

“He was on a ventilator,” Henderson recalled. “The doctors told (Myra and Roger) that he was not going to make it, that he probably wouldn’t live.”

Throughout the entire hospital stay, Henderson said the Cain family was an encouragement to other people, particularly those families going through significant moments much like their own.

Twenty-four years later, Nicholas is still alive.But the virus left him wheelchair-bound and completely dependent upon his parents.

In 2014, the Cain family learned more about service dogs and how one could help Nicholas. It was this same year that they found paws4people out of Wilmington. The organization trains and places service dogs with families, and it was this organization that gave Nicholas SHAW.

“In 2014, we learned about service dogs, and what they could do for people with disabilities. And so, we investigated it,” Myra explained. “And Nicholas got the service dog, a golden retriever named SHAW from paws4people.”

SHAW was able to help Nicholas with tasks like turning the lights on and off, opening the refrigerator door, bringing him bottles of water or other drinks as needed. But Myra said the biggest thing that SHAW did was help Nicholas by picking up items and giving them to him, or just being there for Nicholas, showing him love and support.

“(SHAW) turned lights off and on for him, opened the refrigerator door so he could get a bottle of water, or get the water and take it to him,” Myra explained. “But a big part for Nicholas was picking up stuff that he would drop because being in the chair, it’s very difficult. And the emotional support… just always being there. He was never alone.”

She said SHAW also recognized when Nicholas was getting sick, and he was very alert with Nicholas’ moods.

“He was there when he was sad and depressed or down in the dumps, and he just could tell… he was so intuitive, you know, to what was going on with him physically and emotionally,” Myra recalled. “He knew when he was getting sick, even before we would know. He was just more clingy to him, sniffing him, and just so alert to what was going on.”

And without SHAW around for Nicholas, the community wanted to do something to help the young man and the family.

“We, as a community, their church family, wanted to do a benefit for them to help them get another service dog,” Henderson stressed. “They’re limited with what they have available to them. And so we’re doing this fundraiser and, hopefully, we’ll exceed expectations, and we can help Nicholas with other needs as well.”

Henderson said they will be selling Boston Butts for $50 until Aug. 11. Anyone who is interested in participating will pre-pay for the meat and then pick it up at Piney Green Missionary Baptist Church on Aug. 17 between noon and 6 p.m. The meat will be pre-cooked by the Grateful Shed.

Brenda McLamb, who is also spearheading the benefit, said anyone who wants to buy a Boston Butt should either call her at 910-990-5978 or Henderson at 910-990-5530.

“People will get a receipt when they order because we need the money up front so that Frank Pacheco will know how many to cook,” McLamb stated.

She said that people need to either pay with cash or make a check out to Roger Cain.