~ Mary and Hero ~
Two years ago, Mary met Hero for the first time. Since then, they have changed each other’s lives for the better and continue to bring endless joy and unconditional love into every single day.
At the time, Mary wasn’t looking to adopt a dog. She had a nine-year-old German Shepherd, Daisy, and was grieving the loss of her heart dog who passed away five years prior. Adopting another dog made her feel uneasy. However, she soon heard of a six-year-old white German Shepherd, named Hero, who had been surrendered and was struggling at the shelter. He became very anxious, destructive and tried to escape a couple of times. To prevent him from hurting himself, he was put on antidepressants.
Hearing this story broke Mary’s heart. As soon as she could, she arranged a meeting with this dog. When she arrived, she could just feel how sad Hero was. Looking into his eyes, Mary was able to relate to the heartbreak he was feeling, too. She knew this feeling all too well and knew they both needed a bit of love and care.
Soon after the first meeting, Mary brought Daisy into the shelter to meet Hero. Daisy was feeling sad at the loss of her sisfur, too. Yet, when she met Hero, the two immediately got along. Seeing how happy they both were, Mary knew that Hero had found his new forever home.
When she brought Hero home, Mary knew it would take a long time for him to feel comfortable. He didn’t have much interest in food, didn’t trust anyone and was depressed for a long time. However, with the continual care of Mary and her husband, as well as Daisy becoming a pivotal part of his recovery, Hero soon flourished. Slowly, he was even able to be weaned off his antidepressants. It took quite some time, but now, Hero is loving his life and the dogs and humans who have made his life what it is.
Not only has Hero impacted Mary, but also those around them. Mary works as a videographer and director, and her canine companion tagged along to every project. Eventually, he felt comfortable making appearances in her videos and it didn’t take long before he found himself in the spotlight. Mary was often asked to start a social media account for Hero and, before long, she did just that. Since starting this, he has brought so much happiness to everyone who follows his daily life.
Seeing how much Hero has grown means the world to Mary. Before adopting him, she didn’t think she could love another dog like she had her previous companion, but having Hero has given her hope and has made her feel whole again. Every day since they found one another has been filled with love and joy. They have truly changed each other’s lives for the better.