Shawn + Nick

Shawn served in the U.S. Army for eight years as a helicopter armament systems mechanic. Following her years in the service, Shawn became an EMT-Paramedic, fueling her passion to care for others.  In 2009, while working an ambulance, she sustained  a  traumatic brain injury which resulted in total loss of vision. When Shawn was introduced to para-sports, her competitive spirit was ignited and she confronted her blindness. Shawn has since raced with the U.S. National Paraylmpic Cycling Team in 20 national and 20 international races, including the paralympic games in Rio in 2016. Shawn is an 11-time U.S. National Champion. Aside from cycling, Shawn snowboards, cross country and alpine skis, rock climbs, paddle boards, hikes and runs.

"I want to share my story with audiences around the country, be an advocate for the awareness of visual impairments, and help provide opportunities that can save lives."

Shawn's first Guiding Eyes guide dog was Kiara, a female German Shepherd. But this busy single mom of two teen-aged children, who is still training with the U.S. National Paracycling Team, recognized her need for a guide dog that could match her high-energy lifestyle. In March 2020, Shawn completed the Guiding Eyes Home Training Program with Nick, her new German Shepherd running guide dog.