Charlie Sheen pays for injured Florida teen's therapy dog

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Actor Charlie Sheen, seen on the right in an appearance on 'The View,' donated $10,000 to Teagan Marti, seen on the left, so the teen could get a therapy dog to help her rehabilitation process after falling from an amusement park ride in 2010. (KABC Photo)

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celebrity, charity, entertainment

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Florida teenager who plummeted from an amusement park ride is getting some help from Charlie Sheen.

Teagan Marti suffered serious brain, spine, pelvis and internal injuries in the 100-feet fall at a Wisconsin amusement park back in 2010. Now, the Hollywood bad boy has given her $10,000 for a therapy dog to help her rehabilitation process.

Marti's mother, Julie Marti, said they are financially in trouble from the medical bills and her recent divorce. Their house is being foreclosed upon and insurance isn't covering physical therapy anymore, she said. She had no idea how they would pay for the English Golden Retriever puppy.

"I'm in such disbelief," Julie Marti said. "I was crying...What a guy. What a guy."

The dog is being trained to turn on lights, pick up objects and be the teen's constant companion.

Lucia Wilgus, of Eau Claire, became friends with the Martis family after hearing of the accident and has spearheaded fundraising and helped find the dog and arrange training. She sent a letter this week to Sheen through Sheen's godfather, who is a family friend of Wilgus.

Wilgus estimated the training and related costs to be around $6,000. Sheen said he decided to give a bit more for extra costs.

"I like to pay it forward," Sheen told the Associated Press on Thursday in a phone interview from Los Angeles. "People come into your orbit for a reason. You don't always know what that is ahead of time, but if I ignore these requests then I don't have any opportunity to see where these things lead us, or lead me."