Their family wanted her to understand why her dad wasn’t coming home.
When 33-year-old Ryan Jessen was hospitalised after suffering a brain haemorrhage, the prognosis was bleak. Tragically, he never made a recovery, with friends and family taking the time to gather around their loved one during his final days.
Ryan Jessen, R.I.P my brother… you will be missed greatly and never forgotten.
Posted by Ryan Renteria on Wednesday, December 7, 2016
That included his beloved pet dog Mollie, who was allowed to visit Jessen one final time thanks to the amazing staff at the hospital that made it happen.
As Jessen’s sister writes on Facebook:
“The hospital did the sweetest thing for us and allowed us to bring my brother’s dog in to ‘say goodbye’ so she’d know why her human never came home. If you knew my brother, he really loved his sweet dog.”
The video of their meeting was released online, with countless people finding the heart-breaking moment the perfect embodiment of the love shared between a person and their pet dog.
Rideout Memorial Hospital did the sweetest thing for us and allowed us to bring my brother's dog in to "say goodbye" so she'd know why her human never came home. If you knew my brother, he really loved his sweet dog. (So many people have asked – He thought he had a migraine, but it was a ventricular brain hemorrhage. They think it was brought on by high blood pressure, and there's speculation that his frequent consumption of energy drinks may have contributed. THANK YOU to everybody for the outpouring of support, but I won't be responding anymore. We are sincerely touched and humbled by others' stories, their sharing in our sadness and the kindness of so many people. Don't worry about the dog! We're keeping her!!! She's part of the family.)
Posted by Michelle Jessen Gold on Thursday, December 1, 2016
A profound moment caught on camera that highlights the compassion of the hospital staff that arranged the meeting, it’s very understandable why the video has received millions of views.
“We are sincerely touched and humbled by others’ stories, their sharing in our sadness and the kindness of so many people,” Michelle writes. “Don’t worry about the dog! We’re keeping her!!! She’s part of the family.”
Let’s hope Mollie and Jessen’s family can find comfort in each other during this difficult period.
Mollie will miss her doggy daddy!
Posted by Laurie Ann Hickenlooper Jessen on Wednesday, November 30, 2016
