Walking through the door, I immediately noticed the dim lights and the somber atmosphere. The room seemed to mirror the clouds hovering outside the hospital windows. At first, I didn’t see the young boy. Instead, my eyes were drawn to his parents, standing apart, each gazing out separate windows as if searching the heavens for a moment of peace.
 

As I stepped further into the room, I finally noticed him—a young boy sitting in a wheelchair, wrapped in a white blanket, wearing a medical halo. I gently said, “Hello. Happy Valentine’s Day!”
 

He looked up with a silent stare, saying nothing. Undeterred, I continued, “I’m here from Owie BowWowie and Friends. You have an Arf Angel who wanted to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day and give you a special friend—someone who understands what it’s like to have an owie or two. He’s also someone you can talk to whenever you feel alone.”
 

Sensing that the family needed some privacy, I didn’t open the box where Owie was tucked away. Instead, I simply said, “I’m going to leave your special friend here for you. When you’re ready, you can open the box. Happy Valentine’s Day!”
 

I glanced at his family, gave them a soft smile, and walked out of the room as quickly as I could. The emotions in that room were overwhelming. When the door closed behind me, I began to cry, unable to find words to describe the feelings that had overcome me.
 

Sandie, our Child Life Director, noticed my distress. She hugged me and said, “Take a moment. Wash your face. I’ll deliver this Owie to the next room. We can’t let the kids see you crying.”
 

She smiled and left. Outside the door, there was a sink. I walked over, turned on the water, and began washing away my tears. Suddenly, the door flung open. To my surprise, the woman standing there wasn’t the same one who had been silently staring out the window a few moments earlier. This woman was smiling—radiating joy—and she exclaimed, “HEY, YOU WANT TO COME BACK IN AND SEE MY SON SMILE?”
 

“What?” I asked, stunned.
 

“Do you want to come back and see him smile?” she repeated, excitement in her voice.
 

I quickly turned off the water and followed her back into the room. This time, the lights were on. His father was no longer by the window but standing behind his son’s wheelchair. As I came around to face the young boy, I saw it—a radiant smile lighting up his face.
 

Then he spoke. “Hey, lady, this dog is cool. Thank you!”
 

A few moments later, Sandie entered the room and asked, “Would you mind if we took a picture of you with your Owie?”
 

He grinned, and his mother said, “Oh, please. Take a picture of my son smiling. I haven’t seen him smile in such a long time. I love that dog!”
 

Before I left, the young boy allowed me to hug him. That day has stayed with me ever since. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Owie’s Arf Angels, because they are the ones who make these deliveries PAWSible.

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Story told by Gina Meyer