Nurses helped sneak dog of dying man into the hospital to say goodbye

Cindy Arboleda

They say a dog is man’s best friend. When it’s time to say goodbye and a loved one is bedridden at a hospital, even with hospitals’ strict no-pets policy, families sometimes go to great lengths to make sure that the person and pup have a few moments together before saying goodbye forever.

Ellie Miguel’s grandfather, David King, was losing his battle with cancer. He was at a hospital in Missouri without knowing if he’d be able to go back home and say goodbye to his beloved pup. His wife, Cindy, took matters into her own hands, and with the help of the nurses, she was able to sneak their Yorkie mix in for one last goodbye.

Granpa says goodbye to his dog
Grandfather says goodbye to his dog with the help of nurses and his family. (Photo: Twitter/@elliemigueel)

Ellie, 17, captioned her tweet, “My grandpa is losing his battle with cancer so the nurses helped my grandma sneak their dog into the hospital to say goodbye.” Her tweet quickly gathered the sympathy of family, friends, and strangers with more than 500 likes.

Ellie tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “My grandpa loved his dog Lil Fee; she would follow him around everywhere. He would bring her everywhere he could,” she says. “My grandpa had been battling cancer for the past couple years, but last week it took over his whole body.

“He spent about a week in the hospital, and my grandma brought pictures of the dog to hang up.”

Ellie’s grandfather died last night, but not without saying goodbye to Lil Fee. With the help of nurses, Ellie’s aunt was able to bring Lil Fee to her human.

“The nurses always heard my grandma talking about Lil Fee. So they encouraged her and helped her get the dog in. They had my aunt carry the dog in a really big purse,” she says.

Ellie says it was very emotional for all the members of the family. “For the first time that day, he moved his arm in attempts to pet his Lil Fee,” she says. “It was a moment I’ll never forget.”

Ellie’s family is not the only one who has sneaked in pets to bring comfort to loved ones at a hospital. This past summer, Shelby Hennick, 22, from California, smuggled her grandmother’s beloved dog into the facility, disguising it as a baby, as her grandma wanted to see her dog.

Shortly after Hennick shared the photos, her tweet went viral with more than 540,000 likes and more than 2,500 comments. It prompted others to share their stories of bringing pets to the hospital to see their owners when they are ill.

There is nothing like having your best friend comfort you during your time of need.

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