A New York registered nurse has gone viral for the way she stepped in to reunite a patient with his beloved dog.
Jennifer Smith, a nurse at the Adult Day Healthcare program at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Rome, has received tons of praise for her efforts.
Smith and John Burley met at the rehabilitation center, and Burley became one of Smith’s favorite patients, according to CNN.
After Burley was hospitalized for pneumonia and lung problems over the holidays, his dog Boomer was taken to the pound. Worried, Burley called Smith to see if she could find Boomer and take care of him.
The next day, Smith took an early lunch and left work to adopt the 12-year-old dog. Smith was relieved to find Boomer in the back of the shelter and quickly signed adoption papers.
“There are just so many worries in the world right now. If I can take one worry away from John, that’s the least I can do,” Smith told CNN.
“I can’t cure diseases. I’m not a miracle worker ... I made a promise to John to take care of Boomer. I will take care of him as long as he needs me to. John knows that. Right now, the focus is on John getting better and taking it one day at a time.”
Kimberleigh Hare from The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Rome described the reunion to Newsweek.
“When he saw Jennifer and Boomer come around the corner, (John) just burst into tears and reached for his pal. There was not a dry eye in the room between residents and staff. He was so happy to see the dog and so thankful to Jennifer for saving him.”
Burley is now in rehabilitation, and Smith visits Burley with Boomer regularly, where Boomer takes his seat on Burley’s lap.
On Facebook, social media users commended Smith.
“This is incredible. This is AMAZING!! This woman has a heart! Such a positive thing for John and this sweet pup. People don’t realize how much of an impact it has on the dog as well. They are living, breathing souls. Loveee this!!” one user said.
“What a beautiful thing to do. There’s nothing more gratifying than to do a kind deed and knowing that you’ve made a difference,” another user said.
“Awesome bet his rehab is going much better knowing his best friend is not far away,” another commented.
For more content like this, sign up for the Pulse newsletter here.
About the Author
