John Vincent, a 69-year-old veteran and Marine who served in Vietnam, was admitted to the Raymond G. Murphy VA Hospice Center last week. With no family in the New Mexico area, he was forced to part with his beloved 6-year-old Yorkshire Terrier mix named Patch, as shared by Albuquerque Animal Welfare on Facebook. Vincent expressed his final wish to palliative care social worker Amy Neal, wanting to spend his last moments with Patch. Neal acted on his request, and Albuquerque Animal Welfare made Vincent’s wish come true, sharing the heartwarming news on Facebook.
“Yesterday was a special day for a Veteran named John Vincent and his beloved dog Patch,” the shelter wrote. “I asked him if that’s something that would be meaningful for him,” Amy Neal told the Albuquerque Journal. “And it came together very quickly.”
“When the request came in, it was an immediate ‘absolutely,’ and let’s do whatever we can to get it done,” said Danny Nevarez, director of Animal Welfare. “It was as simple as getting Patch over here.”
The have spent the entire day together. One last time!
The compassionate team at Albuquerque Animal Welfare made John Vincent’s final wish come true by bringing his furry companion, Patch, to the hospice. As they approached the hospital, Patch became emotional and started showing signs of excitement. When the duo was finally reunited, John was deeply moved and held onto Patch tightly from his hospital bed, with the pooch sweetly licking his ailing owner. Vincent had adopted Patch from a neighbor who had a litter of puppies, and named him after the distinctive white patch of fur on his chin, which mirrored the white patch on the dog’s chest.
“We were the patch brothers,” said Vincent, referring to himself and his furry companion. He explained that he had a special fondness for Patch because he was the smallest pup in the litter and would often take him for rides on his motorcycle. The reunion between the two old friends was a poignant moment, but unfortunately, it was likely to be their last goodbye.
“It was such a heartwarming moment,” Albuquerque Animal Welfare wrote. “They were so happy to see each other and say their goodbyes. It was an honor to make this veteran’s final wish come true.”
According to Albuquerque Animal Welfare, Patch is currently residing at their Westside Animal Shelter and is in the process of finding a new loving home. The organization has mentioned that there is already an “interested adopter” for the furry companion.
