animal lover's profile
Sights Set High By Nancy Dewar
Randy & Autumn
A neurological disorder took Randy’s eyesight in 1989 shortly after graduating from UNH with an Electrical Engineering degree and
while starting his career at Digital Equipment Corporation. Although legally blind, he still retained about half of his sight in his left eye. Shortly thereafter he got a rescue dog named Modi, which was the beginning of a 9-year mutual love affair. Upon losing his special boy, Randy applied for his first guide dog, and incredible Ostend entered his life at a very life changing point. While training together in Oregon, the last of Randy’s eyesight disappeared. Ostend, automatically sensing something powerful was happening, placed his head on his Dad’s lap; and that is the last vision Randy was blessed with.
During their six years together, Ostend and Randy had more great adventures than most of us can imagine. As a lifelong Patriot’s fan, Randy introduced his boy to football; and Ostend was the first service dog ever to attend a game at Gillette Stadium. He was also the first dog to attend a Super Bowl when the Pats beat St. Louis in 2002. This victory led to an invitation to the White House to celebrate, and Ostend made sure his Dad was well taken care of. He led Randy to the front of the line in the Rose Garden where he unexpectedly was greeted by Tom Brady Sr.
6 seacoastbarkmagazine.com
Randy & Quinn
Not many people can claim to have climbed all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks, not to mention climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and hiking the Andes. Nor have many of us run 17 marathons including the Boston Marathon six times. This is just a smattering of the incredible accomplishments by New Hampshire native Randy Pierce of Nashua. Yet what makes this even more remarkable is that Randy has done all of this after losing all of his eyesight with the help of his three very loyal 4-legged companions -- guide dogs Ostend (a golden retriever), Quinn (a yellow lab) and Autumn (a black and tan Labrador retriever)—along with his wife Tracy and large network of true friends.
and then No. 12 stopped by! All of this after an appearance on the Rosie O’Donnell show the week prior.
Ostend and Randy also faced challenges. Randy became confined to a wheelchair in 2004 as a result of his neurological disorder, and Ostend was essentially retired. Randy wistful-
