Walking into her hospital room, I immediately noticed it was larger than most. The sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow. As soon as her mother heard that a stranger had brought a gift for her daughter, she jumped out of her chair, ran toward me, and said, “Please come in and meet my daughter.”

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Not knowing what to expect, I smiled and approached the side of her bed. That’s when I noticed the box of beads resting on her lap. Her hands were delicately threading the tiny beads onto a needle. Curious, I asked, “What are you making?”

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“I have to spend a lot of time at the hospital getting my medicine,” she said, “so I make jewelry.”

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I couldn’t help but smile. She wore a brightly colored jacket, as vibrant as a rainbow after the rain, and a cute white hat perched on her head. Her IV line ran discreetly through her jacket, carefully tucked away so it wouldn’t interfere with her craft. It was clear her focus was on creating something beautiful.

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I gently said, “Hello, I’m here from Owie BowWowie and Friends. One of our Arf Angels wanted to send you a special gift named Owie BowWowie. Owie has band-aids of his own and was created just for you. You can only get…” (At that moment, I unwrapped Owie from the protective plastic wrap he’s always delivered in and continued.) “…an Owie BowWowie if an Arf Angel sends you one.”

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Within seconds, this beautiful young girl snatched Owie from my hands, hugged him tightly, and exclaimed, “Oh, hello! I LOVE HIM!”

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The photograph I’m sharing with you was taken at that exact moment. Her hug was genuine, and her smile was priceless. The nurse who had entered the room with me quickly grabbed my camera and captured the moment. I’m so glad she did because…

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These are the moments that matter.

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A few months later, a package arrived in the mail addressed to Owie BowWowie. Curious, I opened it. Inside was a pink bracelet she had made especially for Owie, along with a simple, heartfelt note:

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“I made this bracelet for you, Owie, because I love you.”

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And they lived happily ever after.

Story told by Gina  Meyer