When you talk about a hero, you usually think of cartoons or people. In this case, it's Teddy, a Poodle-Schnauzer mix.
Teddy has become a hero without a cape, and at the same time, his owner's therapy. It has been said many times that dogs are capable of changing people's lives, and Teddy is one of them.
Teddy's story
Teddy's owner, Andy Szasz, had been in an induced coma for three years. In December 2016, Teddy visited the hospital to help wake his owner from the coma.
It was not a dream, but a reality. The five-year-old dog helped wake his owner from a coma. According to The Times newspaper, Teddy's barking woke Andy three days earlier than doctors had predicted.
"After four days of barking and kissing me on the face, Teddy woke me up, astonishing the doctors. He never left my side, he was my guardian angel," Andy explained in an interview for the BBC.
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Teddy's presence at Southampton General Hospital was a great surprise for the entire medical team, but even more so for what he had achieved. Andy was in intensive care after falling ill with pneumonia while battling bowel cancer since 2012. A week after waking up, he was discharged. After Teddy's presence was so miraculous for Andy, the doctors decided that he should often visit the hospital to continue with the patient's recovery. A week after waking up, he was discharged.
Even months later, Teddy became part of the medical team at the UK hospital, as a therapy dog. Andy, along with Teddy, is part of the volunteer team of therapy dog owners at the UK hospital.
Hospital patients appreciate Teddy's presence because it's a way to distract them and have a good time. "It's good to have someone to distract others. He's adorable," a patient explained in an interview for the BBC.
Teddy is not the only therapy dog at the hospital; in this medical center, many owners collaborate with their dogs to help improve the atmosphere and cheer up patients. This is the case of Jessie, the Golden Retriever in the photo above.
What do you think of these types of initiatives? Do you think they should also be implemented in Spain? Tell us about your experience on social media