The Dog That Helped a Family Heal During Cancer

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Doris was diagnosed with cancer, her world changed, and so did her family’s. In the middle of uncertainty, they adopted Benny, a rescue dog with soft eyes and a calm, steady presence. As the days grew more difficult, Benny remained close, offering comfort without words and a sense of peace that medicine couldn’t provide. Our regular contributor, Stephen Rusiniak, shares how this unassuming pet became a quiet anchor during one of the hardest seasons of their lives.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:17):
This is Lee Habib, and this is our American Stories,
and we tell stories about everything here on this show,
from the arts to sports, and from business to history
and everything in between, including your stories. And our next
story comes from our regular contributor, Stephen Rosediac, who shares
his story from a terrific book, Chicken Soup for the Soul,

(00:37):
My Very Good, Very Bad Dog, which you can pick
up at chickensoup dot com. Here's Stephen about his dad's dog, Bennie,
and Benny's relationship with his mom.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
It wasn't that he didn't like her. It was more
that Benny just didn't care about her, one way or
the other. The only reason he paid her any attention
at all was because his best buddy did, and that
was only for a few minutes at dinner time. Only
then would Benny acknowledge her presence, and then only until

(01:14):
his food was served. Surprisingly, she didn't mind getting the
canine cold shoulder because she knew a sacred bond existed
between a boy and his puppy, even if this one
year old dog wasn't quite a puppy anymore and the
sixty nine year old man wasn't quite a boy anymore. Unfortunately,

(01:40):
one night, Benny's best friend became ill, and people that
neither of them knew came to help. They took his
buddy away, and Bennie never saw him again. In the
days and weeks that followed, he searched for him, and
several times he thought he'd found him. After all, his

(02:03):
scent was everywhere, on his chair in the kitchen, on
his coat hanging by the stairs, and even in his shoes.
Still waiting for him out on the breezeway. Benny became
excited when he heard a car in the driveway or
voices in the street, but in the end it wasn't him.

(02:26):
For weeks, he moped and refused to eat. But then
one day he realized something that had previously meant little
to him. She was still there. That night, when they
were alone, Benny slowly came over and sat at her feet.

(02:46):
She gently began to stroke his shiny, golden hair, and
then something totally unexpected happened. She hugged him. From that
moment forward, their relationship changed, and for each of them
the healing began. They would become inseparable companions who enjoyed

(03:08):
taking long neighborhood walks and stopping to talk with everyone
they met along the way, whether watching Animal Planet on
TV or doing nothing at all. They did it together
a team of two, her confidante and his new best friend.

(03:29):
The proof of this relationship was revealed in a greeting
card she routinely sent out to friends and family, acknowledging
holidays and special events depending on one's relationship with her.
The card was signed, Love, Dars and Bennie, Nana and

(03:49):
Benny or Mom and Benny. And those of us receiving
these cards understood the importance of the closing saliotar We
knew their story was one of recovery and rebirth of
two needy souls who found each other, and of the

(04:10):
enduring friendship that resulted. It was a good story too,
but like all stories, it had to end eventually. If
Benny had one fault that clearly surpassed all others, it
was that he wasn't immortal. As he approached his thirteenth year,

(04:34):
his body began to reveal evidence of the passage of time.
Their long walks gave way to shorter excursions a consequence
of his new hip difficulties. Other issues developed, and by
early December she wondered whether he'd make it through New Years,

(04:54):
and then she received a devastating diagnosis of her own.
They both survived the holidays, and for the next few months,
the three of us spent practically every day together as
she suffered the procedures that took her strength and eventually
her hair, and Benny continued to be her most faithful

(05:20):
friend and support. It was as if he knew that
she still needed him, and in truth, she did. Although
rising from his rug and walking required increasingly more effort,
he struggled to greet her every time I brought her
home from her daily treatments. His puppy heart still overflowed

(05:44):
with unconditional love. His old body was still ready to snuggle.
When her exhaustion forced her into her chair. I would
sit nearby in the rocker, but Benny knew just where
she needed him to be, resting at her feet. Benny

(06:04):
continued to provide his love and support throughout the duration
of her treatments, and when they were finally over, he died. Sadly,
her healthy reprieve didn't last for a second time. She
fought the good fight, but this time, when she knew
the battle was lost, she gracefully accepted the inevitable, and

(06:30):
had but one request that the ashes of her beloved
Benny be interred with her. On a sunny November morning,
we lay Mom to rest with Dad, and just as
she'd ask, Benny was there too, as always, just where

(06:51):
she needed him to be, resting at her feet.

Speaker 1 (07:00):
Stephen Rossettiac's story resting at her feet and again that's
at chickensoup dot com. That's where you can find the
story A great father, mother, family and dog story a
classic one here on Our American Stories. This is Lee Habib,

(07:34):
host of our American Stories. Every day on this show
we tell stories of history, faith, business, love, loss, and
your stories. Send us your story, small or large to
our email oas at Ouramerican Stories dot com. That's oas
at Ouramerican Stories dot com. We'd love to hear them

(07:55):
and put them on the air. Our audience loves them too,