5-year-old with autism struggled to bond with anyone — then he met a service dog that changed his life

When life feels too overwhelming, owning a dog can feel like the best decision of your life. From reducing stress to providing the ultimate comfort, these furry friends can become trusted confidants and true companions. Their wagging tails, soulful eyes and the pure excitement they express when you walk through the door can easily dissolve challenges in life, making it look picture-perfect. This profound emotion beautifully unfolded when a 5-year-old boy with autism named Kai found his best friend in an adorable pooch, Tornado. The heartfelt incident was shared by Kai's mother, Shanna Niehaus, through a Facebook post which now stands deleted. Later, this heartwarming story was also shared on 4 Paws For Ability's (4 Paws For Ability) official Facebook page. 

Kai's mother was in a desperate search for children of her son's age to connect when she came across 4 Paws For Ability, an Ohio-based organization, as per My Modern Met. The organization aims to "enrich the lives of children and veterans with disabilities by placing life-changing service dogs." Grabbing the opportunity, the Niehaus family flew from Japan to meet Tornado. Kai, who was patiently waiting to meet his new friend jumped in excitement and without any hesitation ran toward Tornado, surprising everyone.

On the other hand, Niehaus who was overwhelmed watching her son bond with his new furry friend could not hold her tears. “It's worth every fight for services for my son, every diagnosis, every new provider, every dollar spent, every paper filled out, every school meeting, every shed tear, every step forward, every step back, and every wonder of the unknown future. Somehow because of this – because of Tornado – I know everything will be okay," she had written in her post.

After years of struggling to make friends due to his inability to communicate, Kai was on cloud 9 to find someone who could be his emotional support. The little boy's wholesome reaction after his first meeting with the service dog was so natural that it seemed as if he and Tornado had known each other for years. The Niehaus received training for 12 days with Tornado before they took him back home with them. The adorable video took the internet by fire evoking emotional and overwhelming responses from the netizens.

The beautiful video resonated with many parents with shared experiences of handling kids suffering from autism. For instance, Susan Rose Ambert commented, "Love this! We got our Happy from 4Paws about 11 years or so ago, and Molly definitely wasn't THIS excited, but Happy meant the world to us. Kai and Tornado are going to be unstoppable!" Similarly, Kimberly Witt wrote, "This little boy reminds me so much of my son. It makes me so happy to see they have found this special treasure for their family and an aid that will actually help their son to blossom." 

Natise Houston wrote, "Blasted onions! Who left them out again?" Laura Vanderlinden commented, "Still sobbed. Just a beautiful moment." Elizabeth Rosado commented, "I wish I could afford one for myself so my daughter can enjoy her life and not have to be here when me all day." Meanwhile, Kacey Molnar Farrell wrote, "Makes me miss our first introduction to Fiona. It was so special! Love these dogs and what they do for us!"

You can follow 4 Paws For Ability (4 Paws For Ability) on Facebook for more such emotional videos.