Importance Score: 35 / 100 🔵
Rosie O’Donnell’s Unexpected Connection with Lyle Menendez
Rosie O’Donnell has fostered an unusual relationship with Lyle Menendez. Despite Menendez’s decades-long incarceration for the 1989 slaying of his parents – a crime he and his brother Erik Menendez were found guilty of in 1996 – his ongoing dialogue with the actress aided her in securing assistance for her youngest child, 12-year-old Clay, who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Lyle Menendez’s Role in Securing a Service Dog
“Were it not for him, we wouldn’t have [my child’s service] dog,” she shared in an interview. “While I was actively contemplating the ethical considerations of applying [for a service animal], he would say, ‘I’ve been talking to you for two years. I hear Clay every night.'”
Encouragement and Profound Healing
O’Donnell, who relocated to Ireland with Clay in January, attributed to Menendez the motivation to pursue the service dog, which resulted in “really profound” improvements for the adolescent.
Impact of the Service Animal
“He comprehended the difficulties involved and affirmed, ‘This will provide support to them and to you as well,'” O’Donnell stated. “Without his involvement, I would not have proceeded with it.”