Matt + Tanner

Visually impaired since birth, Matt leads a very full life in New York City. He has a demanding teaching career, serves as the union representative for nearly 300 members and maintains an active social life.  He attributes his achievements to “the supportive family and friends in my life and the best decision I ever made: applying for my first Guiding Eyes for the Blind guide dog, Claire, 30 years ago as a high school senior.”   

Matt returned to Guiding Eyes for the Blind in May 2019 for his sixth guide dog, Tanner, a yellow Lab.  It was imperative that Matt’s new partner be just the right fit for his active lifestyle and livelihood as an educator.   As an independent thinker with a calm temperament, Tanner is as well-suited to the fast-paced city environment of public transportation, crowds, and distractions as he is to Matt’s classroom of seventh-graders who struggle with learning and behavioral challenges.

With Tanner by his side, Matt confidently travels on foot and by subway for his hour-plus commute to school, or when exploring the shops, restaurants and neighborhoods of Manhattan and Queens. The presence of his guide dogs has been a positive addition to Matt’s classroom and an opportunity to educate his students about visual impairment.

When asked to reflect on his three-decade-long relationship with Guiding Eyes, Matt quickly replied: “I would never go anywhere else. They treat you like family, and I have enormous gratitude to the people who donate and make it all possible.  Training is tailored to the students and over the years, one thing has remained constant: we are always first, and our needs are always first.”