Meet Darby and Guide Dog Larry
Darby practices on sidewalks around campus with guide dog Larry. Trainers Jonathan Bjaland and Laura White walk behind her. Darby is wearing a blue tank top and jean shorts. Jonathan is wearing his Southeastern Guide Dogs uniform and khaki shorts, and Laura is wearing khaki shorts and a grey zip up sweatshirt. Larry is a black Labrador.
Darby and guide dog Larry sit in the grass in front of red and green plants.
Darby Sherbert was born blind from a genetic condition, and as she got older, her vision slightly improved. She remains guarded, however, as her vision can change again. “Growing up, school was hard for me,” she says. “I didn’t want to accept that I was visually impaired—I didn’t want to be different—so I refused assistive technology. But I didn’t let it stop me, and my parents didn’t let it stop me.”
Darby has been matched with her first guide dog, Larry, a large black Labrador whom she affectionately calls a “massive bear,” a “goober” and a “big fluffy blob.” She says, “That first night, I curled up on the floor with him. I had just lost my own dog and he flopped over and lay right next to me and I thought, ‘This is perfect!’ I couldn’t be happier.”
With Larry by her side, Darby hopes to continue her education. “He’ll be perfect for going to college,” she says. “He’ll help with mobility; he’ll help relieve my anxiety; and he’ll help me meet people. A cane isn’t personable like a dog is.” She’s thrilled that when she decided she wanted a guide dog, she chose Southeastern Guide Dogs. “I researched online and I knew I’d made the right decision, but it didn’t sink in until after I got there that I made the perfect decision. I was blown away!”
