The Morning Call

A Lehigh Valley family raised $12,000 for a child’s service dog. But after a dog was donated, getting that money hasn’t been easy.

A Bangor couple has reached a roadblock in a nearly five-year journey to get a service dog to help detect their 7-year-old daughter Aria's nonconvulsive overnight seizures.

Aria Vega, who suffers from nonconvulsive overnight seizures, does physical therapy with Alyssa Metzger, pediatric physical therapist on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hyland Center in Allentown. Parents Jess Wojciechowski (shown) and Christopher Vega, son Oliver, 2, provide morale support for Aria during the therapy. Aria’s parents, Jess Wojciechowski and Christopher Vega, raised funds to get her a service dog to help identify her seizures, but they say they’re having trouble getting the money after a dog was donated directly to her. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Jess Wojciechowski holds her son Oliver, 2, and while Christopher Vega, the father, watches over Aria Vega, who suffers from nonconvulsive overnight seizures, after her physical therapy Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hyland Center in Allentown. Aria’s parents, Jess Wojciechowski and Christopher Vega, raised funds to get her a service dog to help identify her seizures, but they say they’re having trouble getting the money after a dog was donated directly to her. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Aria Vega, who suffers from nonconvulsive overnight seizures, does physical therapy with Alyssa Metzger, pediatric physical therapist on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hyland Center in Allentown. Parents Jess Wojciechowski and Christopher Vega, son Oliver, 2, provide morale support for Aria during the therapy. Aria’s parents, Jess Wojciechowski and Christopher Vega, raised funds to get her a service dog to help identify her seizures, but they say they’re having trouble getting the money after a dog was donated directly to her. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

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