Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice, which serves mountain and foothill communities in Colorado, has spent 45 years fulfilling the final requests of its patients.
One recent case was Dan, a man who came to his team with one specific wish in early August: To cuddle a golden retriever with “puppy breath” before he took his last.
A member of his care team worked quickly, taking to r/Denver and r/goldenretrievers on Reddit to see if she could find a puppy in the area who could make Dan’s dreams come true.
“Our team asks patients what they have unresolved, what they need help with, and if they have any last wishes,” a spokesperson for Mount Evans, Kristen Mathias, told Good Good Good in an email.
“Dan asked his nurse to cuddle a golden retriever puppy — with puppy breath — and Geneva reached out to our team for support, who in turn reached out to the community for support.”
The r/Denver community responded quickly, with commenters suggesting area golden retriever rescue organizations and nonprofits that could be of assistance.
And then, a beacon of light: Amber Barnett Traub wrote a response.
“We have an 11-week-old golden puppy! Her breath smells more like coffee than milk, though,” she replied. “If that’s okay please let us know.”
It was more than okay.
“We saw other puppy owners respond, but it seemed most of the other puppies were a bit too old to still have puppy breath,” Traub added in an email to Good Good Good.
“Luckily, Gladdie — short for Galadriel — was 11 weeks old at the time and still had the puppy smell, so she exactly matched Dan’s wish.”
Nurse Geneva quickly connected Traub and her husband, Justin, to Dan. They were able to bring their furry friend to his home within a day.
“Gladdie had an amazing time with Dan,” Amber recalled. “She loved playing fetch with him, playing tug of war, and cuddling him on his giant beanbag couch.”
According to Mount Evans, Dan had been a dog lover his whole life.
“Dan always had golden retrievers, and his most recent dog had passed a few months prior to his diagnosis,” Mathias said. “He was heartbroken and alone.”
That sadness seemed to disappear once Gladdie was in Dan’s presence, however.
“We so enjoyed hearing Dan’s stories of his own golden retrievers, Shea, Molly, and Shanti,” Amber said, adding that Dan was eager to talk about the hikes they liked to take around his hometown.
“Dan shared that Shanti was actually diagnosed the same time that he received his diagnosis,” Amber continued, “and … she sadly passed away not too long ago. We were honored to be able to bring Gladdie to Dan for his last request, and give him a chance to feel that golden retriever love once more.”
Dan died just a few days after his visit with Gladdie and her family, but his legacy lives on with the Traubs, who were given a piece of Dan to remember him by.
“Dan graciously gifted us a ball-throwing machine that he had used with his own golden retrievers,” Amber said, “which we plan to use as soon as Gladdie is big enough.”
His final wish is also one that will stick with his caregivers at Mount Evans, one of only two 5-star hospice agencies in the state of Colorado.
“Not every patient makes a last request, but when they do, our team goes above and beyond to honor the request. Recent past requests have been as simple as a final sip of beer, or require more coordination, like helping a patient get to a grandchild's wedding,” Mathias said.
Mathias added that Dan was pleased with his visit with Gladdie, though worn out. Other staff also offered to bring another dog for a visit, but he insisted he was content with his time with Gladdie.
“It is our deepest honor and privilege to walk alongside our neighbors and community members as they near the end of life's journey,” an August 13 Facebook post from Mount Evans reads.
“Moments like these remind us of what hospice care is truly about: Cherishing life, honoring wishes, and bringing comfort when it matters most. Thank you to everyone who helps us bring these heartwarming moments to life for those we serve.”
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Featured Image: Courtesy of Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice
