As part of his dying desire, a Vietnam war veteran in hospice care said his final goodbyes to his pet dog.
John Vincent, 69, of New Mexico, spent three years in the Marine Corps, including time in Vietnam. He lived with his five-year-old Yorkshire terrier Patch for years, but when he entered hospice care last week, he had to put his dog up for adoption.
Vincent’s doctors think he doesn’t have much time left, and he informed a social worker at the hospice center last week that he only wanted to see his beloved cat one final time.
On Thursday, his desire came true as he was reunited with Patch at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque’s Hospice Center.
‘That’s me,’ she says. When Vincent was eventually reunited with Patch, the puppy leapt onto his owner’s lap and Vincent exclaimed, “That’s daddy.” ‘Are you relieved to see me?’ I’m overjoyed to see you.’
Patch leapt on Vincent and licked his face, which was captured on camera by Animal Welfare.
‘I asked him if it was something he would be interested in.’ And it all came together pretty fast,’ Amy Neal, a palliative care social worker, told the Albuquerque Journal about her role in bringing the rare pet and owner reunion together.
‘When I informed him that they were coming this morning, he said, “Is this really happening?”‘ she continued.
‘It was an immediate “yes,” and let’s do anything we can to get it done,’ Animal Welfare director Danny Nevarez said. ‘It was only a matter of getting Patch over here,’ says the narrator.
Patch was silent on the way to the hospice, according to Nevarez, but started crying when he saw Vincent.
He remarked, “It’s almost like he knew, he just started whimpering.” ‘As though he was anticipating something.’
Vincent, who was reared on a ranch in Montana, joined the Marines when he was young and served for three years, including in Vietnam, according to the newspaper.
‘I always went where the greatest went,’ Vincent replied when questioned about his military service.
Vincent received Patch after his neighbor’s dog produced a litter of puppies, according to him.
‘He was the tiniest, and I needed someone who could ride my bike.’ My only hair was on my chin, which was referred to as a patch. We dubbed the patch brothers because he had a small white patch,’ Vincent explained.
Vincent’s Harley Davidson would transport the two, with Patch wearing his own pair of miniature googles. Every night after Vincent retired in New Mexico, the two would go for a stroll.
‘They were very delighted to see each other and to say their good byes,’ Animal Welfare wrote on Facebook of their joyful reunion on Friday. It was a privilege to fulfill this veteran’s ultimate desire.’
Patch has a new owner, according to the shelter, and will be joining his new family.
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