Meet Kasey the capuchin carer, who helps her paralysed owner by simply monkeying around
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Ned Sullivan's life changed forever in 2005, when he had an epileptic seizure at the wheel of his car and drove it into a brick wall.
He suffered internal injuries, head injuries and a broken neck, which left him almost totally paralysed.
He spent a year in hospital but says it was only when he was allowed home that the full psychological effect of his injuries began.
'Wingman': Mr Sullivan with his mother Ellen and Kasey, a 26-year-old helper monkey who performs everyday tasks for him
Furry DJ: One of Kasey's tasks is to change CDs in Mr Sullivan's CD player. She responds to voice commands
He said: 'I always felt alone and stuck and depressed.'
But his life changed again when his sister attended a school assembly and heard about Helping Hands, an organisation that provides helper monkeys to the disabled.
The monkeys are specially trained to help with everyday tasks.
Car accident: A 2005 crash left Ned Sullivan, 27, paralysed below the neck
So 27-year-old Ned was soon teamed up with 26-year-old Kasey, a capuchin monkey, and the effect on Ned was immediate.
He said: 'I had more confidence, more pep to my step.
'More than just companionship, I always felt like she’s a wingman. She’s like a co-pilot.'
Kasey’s help is invaluable, from from turning on and off light switches to changing CDs in a CD player, fetching drinks and opening containers.
Ned's mother Ellen said: 'She fills a huge void in his life. He has a mission now. All we have to do is look to him and we are inspired.'
Ned and Kasey now travel to schools, where Ned speaks to children about safety issues and spinal chord injuries.
Capuchin monkeys are named after Capuchin monks, an offshoot of Fransiscan monks, because the monkey's colouring resembles the hooded clocks the monks wore.
The monkeys are native to Central America and South America but have been as far south as Argentina.
They are often nicknamed 'the organ-grinder monkey' and are the smartest of the New World primates.
Feeding time: Using a spoon and bowl, Kasey helps Mr Sullivan eat when he's hungry. Some helper monkeys can be trained to programme a microwave oven
Surely not: What appears to be Kasey writing a letter is her actually retrieving a pen and notepad for Mr Sullivan. She holds the pad while he writes with his mouth
Their intelligence and ability to be trained has landed capuchins starring roles in Hollywood, in such films as Raiders Of The Lost Ark and the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise.
Carer monkeys interact with humans throughout their infancy and are then extensively trained. Some helper monkeys can complete complex tasks such as operating a microwave.
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