Anyone who's been in the hospital knows it can be stressful, scary, and depressing. But, when a friendly face walks through the door, it can make all the difference even if it has a lot of fur.
Maryland's WBAL-TV attended a goodbye gathering for a special staff member at Carroll Hospital in Westminster. A crowd of well-wishers gathered in the lobby of the hospital broke out their phones to capture the special retirement celebration.
But, this commemoration isn't for a doctor or a nurse. It's for a dog named Gryphon, who's handler Dona Costlow couldn't be more proud of.
"Gryphon is a very unusual dog. He's a Leonberger," Costlow said.
Gryphon is about 150 pounds of fluff and unconditional love. He is a therapy dog who means so much to the people at this hospital because he's been bringing joy and comfort to patients and staff weekly for seven years.
"To see the difference he makes in the attitude of people is incredible... can't even describe it. It changes them completely from what they were before," Costlow said. "That's what I really love about it. It changes somebody's outlook for that day."
Costlow remembers when Gryphon even had a physical effect on a patient.
"We had a patient who was in a coma and the family put their hand on Gryphon and that's all it took, the person smiled. And that was the only reaction they got the entire time they were in the coma. And I can't describe what that means," Costlow said.
Gryphon isn't the only therapy dog roaming the halls of Carroll Hospital. Eight dogs are bringing unconditional love to patients including one named "Dempsey." Georgeanne Trummert is with My Caring Paws pet therapy and sees the effect the animals can have.
"I think it releases endorphins in the body when they're petting the dogs and you can visually see them relaxing, and some people said it's the best day they've had since they've been in the hospital," Trummert said.
But there is no doubt, the celebration was about Gryphon. Among those who came to express their gratitude were former patient Sherry Kendall and her daughter.
"I was pretty much just (lying) in bed. I was in the hospital for six days and when I saw him, oh my gosh. My face lit up. I got up for the first time in a while," Sherry Kendall said.
"It was an incredible thing to witness for a pet lover to have a pet in a hospital which is such a sterile environment an so much fear, terror and sadness and to have life come back in - it's incredible," Natalie Kendall, Sherry's daughter said.
The staff took time to stop by for a final petting, ear scratch and hug, then it was time to go. Costlow Gryphon leaves behind a job well done and much love shared between humans in need and this gentle giant.
Gryphon is well known, not just at the hospital, but he also visits libraries, schools and special events. Now he's ready to spend his golden years relaxing and doing his favorite activity, swimming.
It's an understatement to say, but he is a very good boy.
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