Coffee Bean’s Journey of Courage, Compassion and Hope

From trauma to triumph, Coffee Bean is showing the world that a difficult beginning doesn’t have to define the rest of your life.

Coffee Bean is a one-year-old puppy with a happy personality, a curious mind and an incredible will to live life on his own terms.

He is also paralyzed.  See TV news coverage of his early life.

Coffee Bean lost the use of his back legs after suffering horrific abuse during the first four months of his life. His injuries left him unable to control his bladder and bowels, which means he needs a little more care and attention than most dogs. He wears a diaper, needs help getting properly fitted into his harness and uses a specially designed wheeled device that allows him to move around using his strong front legs.

But if you met Coffee Bean, you might not spend much time thinking about what he can’t do.

You’d probably notice what he can do.

• He can play.
• He can explore.
• He can chase after things.
• He can greet people with enthusiasm.
• He can make you smile.
• And he can be very, very happy.

A Difficult Beginning

Coffee Bean’s first few months of life were anything but happy. He was the victim of criminal abuse, leaving him with injuries that permanently changed the way he moves through the world.

He didn’t choose what happened to him. He didn’t cause his injuries. And he certainly didn’t let them take away his desire to live.

Today, Coffee Bean is surrounded by people who see him not for his limitations, but for the wonderful little dog he is.

One of those people is Edelman & Thompson attorney Elizabeth Van Erem.  Liz and her family (husband, six kids ages 7 to 19 and four dogs other dogs – Mags, Beau, Auggie, Kovu) fostered Coffee Bean and then adopted him to give him the care, attention and encouragement he needs.

Learning a New Way to Move

Coffee Bean has had to learn that there are different ways to do many of the things other dogs take for granted.

His wheelchair-like cart gives him the freedom to move around using his front legs. Getting into his harness and cart takes some preparation, but once he’s ready, Coffee Bean is eager to go.

His mobility equipment doesn’t change who he is.

It simply gives him another way to be the puppy he wants to be.

His daily care also requires patience. Because Coffee Bean cannot control his bladder or bowels, diapers are part of his routine. He needs people willing to take the extra time and accept the extra responsibility that comes with caring for a dog with special needs.

And Coffee Bean is showing that he’s worth it.

More Than His Injuries

It’s easy to look at someone—or some animal—and see the injury first.

But an injury is only one part of a life.

Coffee Bean is not defined by his paralysis. He’s defined by his personality, his curiosity, his affection and his determination to participate in the world around him.

That is one of the things that makes his story so inspiring.

People who suffer serious injuries often face the same challenge. Life may not look exactly the way it did before an injury. Some things may become harder. Some things may never be possible in quite the same way again.

But people find ways forward.

They adapt. They learn new ways of doing things. They work through difficult days. They celebrate small victories. And, sometimes, they discover strengths they never knew they had.

Coffee Bean is doing the same thing—one day, one adventure and one tail wag at a time.

Coffee Bean’s Road Ahead

Coffee Bean still has plenty of growing and learning to do.

He needs continued care and therapy. He needs people who understand his special needs. And most of all, he needs a forever family that will see the joyful, affectionate puppy behind the wheelchair and diaper.

The goal is not to make Coffee Bean into a dog he isn’t.

The goal is to help him become the happiest, healthiest version of the dog he already is.

His journey is still being written, and we’re looking forward to seeing where it takes him.

We’ll share updates about Coffee Bean’s life, therapy, progress and—hopefully—his journey to a forever home.

A Little Dog with a Big Lesson

Coffee Bean’s story is ultimately about much more than a dog who was injured.

It’s about what happens after something terrible changes a life.

It’s about the people who step forward to help.

It’s about adapting to circumstances you never chose.

And it’s about remembering that a life with limitations can still be a life filled with purpose, connection, adventure and joy.

Coffee Bean doesn’t know that he’s supposed to feel sorry for himself.

He just wants to go.

And we’re happy to help him.

A Message of Hope

At Edelman & Thompson, we meet people every day who, like Coffee Bean, are navigating life after serious injuries—through no fault of their own. Their strength, adaptability, and spirit continually inspire us.

Coffee Bean’s journey reminds us that healing takes many forms, and every life—no matter its challenges—has incredible value and potential.

We’re grateful to be part of Coffee Bean’s journey. And we’re even more grateful for the reminder he gives us every day:

What happened to you is part of your story. It doesn’t have to be the end of it.