I’ve seen firsthand how a new pet can bring tears of joy and delight to any human, young or old. A warm, furry, cuddly little animal is a huge source of comfort and love, especially for anyone going through a particularly rough patch in life. This rough patch includes loss, trauma, and grief. The company of a puppy or kitten offers a lot of emotional support and other therapeutic benefits.
And when a beloved pet has passed on, the pain is deep, but the love is there to share with another. When 84-year old Shirley Lann lost the dog she had for 14 years, given to her by her late husband, it was devastating for her.
Shirley’s grandson Matthew McVey says, “She was extremely close with her since it was my late grandfather’s dog too,” and according to him, she hasn’t been the same since the pup passed away. “My grandma has been pretty upset about the whole thing,” Matthew told Inside Edition. “We realized her mood had changed.”
That’s when the family figured they had to do something about the heartbroken woman. So while Shirley was in a rehabilitation center, they came up with a plan and decided to surprise her with something she had no idea about – they caught it all on camera.
Shirley’s daughter got in touch with a local shelter and chose a new puppy to bring to her mom. Her idea? Walk in unannounced and surprise her! The video is of Shirley’s reaction, and it’s moving. At first, Shirley isn’t paying attention, but then she looks up and her jaw drops. She says, “Oh my God…” and looks again to see if what she saw the first time around was the real thing.
“What do you think?” says the daughter, and grandma just breaks down. She takes off her glasses and starts crying into her hands, completely overwhelmed and unable to find words. She’s beside herself but manages to muster up the courage and strength to reach out and grab hold of the furball.
It’s a very emotional moment and pulls at every heartstring. To see this woman’s full spectrum of emotion go from normal to doubtful to skeptical to devastated to pure joy and then eventually relief, is not only an emotional roller coaster for her, but also for the rest of us watching it!
“It was a complete surprise,” Matthew said. “It has brightened her mood and gives her something to look forward to when she gets out of rehab.” He also says that she’s delighted to take the pup home with her and can’t wait to start a life together.
Click below to watch this very tender moment, caught on video, between a woman and her new favorite furry friend.
