Volunteering Turns Passion into a Job

Alex loves horses. For a while he would go to the Rock Creek Horse Stables just to ride, then he began feeding and brushing the animals. Recognizing his dedication and particular fondness of a mare name Cei Cei, the team at St. John's Community Services turned Alex's hobby into a job. He works four hours a day, five days a week, taking meticulous care of the horses. He stresses that his job is very important to the health and behavior of the animals. One stable caretaker commented that "Alex is the best". Prone to seizures, Alex wears a unique watch to keep him safe.

The Embrace watch looks like any other smart watch, but its primary function is to detect seizures. According to Alex, if his "auras get out of whack", the watch changes color, which means it's time to get help. Designed by Emapatica, Embrace is the first FDA-approved watch for neurological use. When it detects a seizure, the watch calls Alex's support team. Job Coach Jabari MackPalmer is close by at the stables to make sure Alex gets medical attention as quickly as possible. Proud and highly focused on his duties, Alex lives by the lyrics of a Beatles tune, that he modified just a bit : "Life is very short and there's no time to waste." 

Below: Alex with a white horse named Duncan. Bottom: The Embrace