Meet Alex and Beckham!
Meet Alex, a 29-year-old from Centreville, VA, whose resilience and determination are truly inspiring. After a traumatic brain injury in 2019, Alex faced enormous challenges with walking, thinking, swallowing, and daily independence. Thanks to the support of her service dogs, hearing aids, and her own perseverance, she has made incredible strides—now working full-time, excelling in her job, staying active, and enjoying life with her fiancé and a house full of animals. With her loyal service dog Beckham by her side, Alex not only embraces outdoor walks and creative digital design but also advocates for disability and service dog education through public speaking and community work. She dreams of starting a nonprofit to bring service dog and disability education into schools and corporate spaces, and she loves sharing products that make a real difference—like Sharewear’s safety tools, which she uses in everyday life to stay prepared no matter where she goes.
Here are some questions Alex answered for us:
1. We’d love to learn more! What role does your guide dog play in your daily life?
My service dog, Beckham, is a highly skilled, task-trained medical alert and response partner. I sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2019, and ever since, I’ve lived with lifelong side effects and disabilities. Beckham has given me back independence, stability, and the ability to thrive when I thought those things were out of reach. We live in Virginia, where I work as a Data Center Security Manager in Herndon. Beckham is with me for every shift, often alerting me 30–50 times a day. Without him, full-time employment would be nearly impossible. I often say Beckham is the single biggest reason I’m able to work—he takes a day that would otherwise be medically overwhelming and makes it manageable. Beckham alerts and responds to rapid heart rate changes, low blood sugar, oncoming migraines, and seizures. His reliability makes him so much more than a service dog—he’s my lifeline. Beyond the tasks, Beckham represents hope for me. He’s living proof that with the right support, people with disabilities can succeed, inspire others, and redefine what’s possible.
2. Your experience matters: What’s one thing you wish people better understood about your special need or disability?
As someone living with both a TBI and hearing loss, I wish people understood that recovery isn’t linear. Some days, I can rock climb, while on other days, I may rely on a walker. Both realities are part of my journey—neither makes me “less” or “more” disabled; it simply means healing looks different day by day. With hearing loss, louder isn’t always better. Communication becomes much easier when someone faces me directly, makes their mouth visible, and repeats themselves when asked. And please—never shame subtitles. They are an accessibility tool that makes the world more inclusive, not just for me, but for millions living with hearing differences.
3. Community awareness: What’s the most helpful way others can support or include you?
Support can be as simple as giving my service dog and me enough space to navigate safely in public areas. Respect goes a long way too: not staring, not asking to pet, and treating a service dog team with the same courtesy as anyone else. If you see a handler being harassed, or notice someone misrepresenting a pet as a service animal, step in. Back up the real service dog team. Fake service animals don’t just break rules—they compromise the safety, trust, and independence of those of us who rely on our trained partners. Advocacy from the community ensures that genuine service dog teams can stay safe and supported.
4. Guide dog spotlight: What’s something amazing your guide dog does that most people don’t realize?
Beckham alerts me 40–60 times a day—most of them so subtle that only we, or those closest to me, even notice. Without him, my independence would shrink dramatically. But Beckham’s skills go far beyond medical alerts. He can find my car in a crowded parking lot or guide me safely out of any building when I give the command “show out.” He can even distinguish indoors from outdoors by scent, which makes him invaluable in an emergency. One more hidden talent? Beckham alerts me when I drop things like my phone or wallet—objects I often can’t feel slipping due to reduced sensation in my hands. Thanks to him, I rarely lose personal items anymore. It’s the little things, combined with the life-saving ones, that make him extraordinary.
Connect with Alex and Beckham on social media to be inspired by their story and amazing partnership!
We’re proud to support Alex and Beckham and their charity of choice, an organization that makes hearing support accessible to all. In addition to Sharewear’s direct donation, we’ll also be giving back 20% of every sale made on our website using the code BECKHAM from now until 10/10.
We’re currently looking for new Sharewear Sidekicks to represent and inspire! Right now, we’re especially hoping to connect with families and individuals impacted by Down Syndrome and/or Cerebral Palsy. Our Sidekicks help us share real stories, raise awareness, and show the world the incredible strength and uniqueness of every child. If you or someone you know would love to be a Sidekick, we’d be honored to hear from you!
