Eight-year-old Johnny Hickey has barely said a word his entire life. It is not that he was incapable of speaking; autism had made him feel alone and cut off from the rest of the world, including his own family.
But then the family decided to adopt Xena, a dog that had been badly abused and left at a shelter. What happens next between young Johnny and Xena is pretty remarkable.
This is the kind of story that reminds us that people with debilitating disorders such as autism may simply need a different way to communicate. No one is made the same, and Xena and Johnny are a perfect example of this.