Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dog-comforts-grieving-girl/
While at her dad’s funeral, a little girl was outside grieving when she saw a jogger running past with a dog. She called out to the jogger and asked them to stop so she could pet the dog and be comforted. The jogger obliged, but she had no idea what the little girl would ask next.
6-year-old Raelynn was described as a total “daddy’s girl” by her mom, Lacey, according to CBS Evening News. She explained that one of Raelynn’s favorite things was introducing people to her dad. She was so proud of him!
Sadly, her dad was diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away at just 41 years of age, when Raelynn was just 6-years-old.
While at his funeral, Raelynn was understandably sad and missing her dad. She decided to step outside the funeral home and grieve by herself. However, that’s when saw a jogger running past with a dog.
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Rather than watch them in silence, she called out to the jogger and asked her to stop so she could pet her dog. The jogger, named Emily, obliged and little Raelynn instantly gave the dog a giant hug.
Emily recognized that Raelynn seemed sad, but she had no idea that she’d lost her dad. Raelynn and Emily instantly hit it off and Raelynn asked Emily if she’d like to meet her dad. That’s when Emily realized what was really going on.
Recognizing that her presence in the funeral home might cause a scene, she decided to go in with Raelynn anyway. It would be the last time that Raelynn could introduce someone to her father and Emily wanted to honor that.
Her kind acts of stopping to let the girl pet her dog and then accompanying her to meet her dad in the funeral home may have seemed small and intuitive at the moment, but they made a profound impact on Raelynn.
The two have continued to remain friends and Emily now brings her dog to visit and comfort Raelynn on occasion.
There’s something to be said about the healing and comfort that animals can provide, especially getting a big hug from a loving dog. Watch the touching video below:
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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
