Ocean's paw-fect partner - 'LESTER'S GIVEN ME MY LIFE BACK!'

The Waikato mum initially said no to a guide dog, but now she's thriving

- Kasia De Vydt-Jillings

On more than one occasion, Ocean Armstrong's guide dog has potentially saved her life.

Reflecting on this, Ocean, 35, who lives with blindness, explains, “There have been times where I have misjudged traffic and the dog has put its body right in front of mine to stop me from crossing the road.”

At the time, she was confused as to why her dog was refusing to walk forward, only to be shocked seconds later by the sound of a vehicle whizzing past.

“It’s in those moments, I’ve been really grateful to be alive,” she admits.

The Waikato mother of Breeze, six, and Lotus, four, was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, which causes low vision. Over the years, the condition has worsened with Ocean explaining now she “can see colours, but no details and it’s very blurry”.

In 2015, Ocean received her very first guide dog, a black labrador retriever called JJ, who supported her for six years before being retired. Then came a challenging two-year gap where she was without a dog before now three-year-old labradoodle Lester joined the family 18 months ago.

“I was so happy when I had Lester brought to me,” she enthuses. “I’ve found my confidence, my independence and my freedom again.”