Knoxville — If the matching mohawks don't give it away, Elijah "Eli" James and his poodle, Tobias, are the best of friends.
"They're a package deal. They're attached at the hip. The only time they'd be apart was when he[Tobias] had to go off to training which obviously doesn't happen now," Eli's sister, Skylar Morse said.
Tobias is a service dog trained to help his buddy Eli, who has the rarest and most severe form of Spina Bifida.
"It's called rachischisis totalis without acrania, and to date, he's the only known survivor with it, so it's been quite an incredible journey of research and learning. He's been writing the book as we go along," his mother, Dawn James, said.
If you open that book, you'd find a family surpassing every obstacle that comes their way. Just a few weeks ago, a 20-minute procedure for Eli turned into a 29-day stay in the hospital. Tobias rarely left his side.
"[Tobias] is not just a big help to Eli, but he's such a great dog and is buddies with everyone. He's very attached to everyone, and it's been great to see him grow in his training and in the ways he can help Eli," Morse said.
When Eli visits the doctor, so does Tobias. If he's wheeled into surgery, Tobias sits on the bed. At school, Tobias walks next to Eli's wheelchair, by his side not just as a companion, but as a valuable tool.
"If he's having a seizure, he will alert mom, and if he's having a meltdown, he will do deep pressure therapy, and it will help calm him down," Morse said.
"It's just something that as a mother, money can't buy. You can't quantify the value of keeping your child happy and healthy," James said.
"Really happy," exclaims Eli.