Darius And His Doggo: Meet The Hill Family's Service Dog

If you've been to PK Park this season, chances are that you've seen a furry new friend roaming the ballpark. The team's resident service dog in-training, Vegas, has been a staple at PK Park during the 2019 season, often closely following behind Emeralds Director of Community Relations Anne Culhane, Vegas' primary handler as he goes through his training to one day become a service dog. However, Vegas isn't the only service dog with ties to the 2019 team.

In fact, the family of Ems outfielder Darius Hill has their very own service dog, one that bears a striking resemblance to Vegas. "His name is Finnick, and he's a Labrador-Golden Retriever mix," says Hill. "He's the first service dog my family has had, and he's a canine companion dog, meaning that he's someone that can be around the house with my brother and my parents while myself and my other brother are away from home. He's someone that can help provide some comfort and solace to my parents, and it gives my brother a true friend to have at the house."
Darius' younger brother, Tyus, has a condition known as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. With Hill away at West Virginia University and his middle brother, Marcus, preparing to head off to his first year at the Air Force Academy, his family began to entertain the idea of finding a service animal that could join the family and help fill the void.

"My parents have become friends with a lot of other DMD families in the Dallas area, and a few of those families had service dogs and they raved about how positive the experience was," says Hill. "Plus, we always wanted a dog when we were kids, so we just figured it was a perfect idea."
Despite the fact that it was the entire family that wanted a dog, Darius is quick to note who the primary companion is when it comes to Finnick. "He's my brother's dog first and then everyone else's second," he laughs. "He has some certain command that only my brother does, and I'm sure when Vegas is paired with his long-term owner that he'll develop the same things. There's stuff with my brother's wheelchair that he can help him with and is specific to his needs."
After batting .306 with in 25 games with the Emeralds earlier this season, Hill was promoted to the South Bend Cubs (A-Full) on August 6. You can follow Darius during his time in South Bend by visiting milb.com/south-bend. 
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