A Dog Refuses to Leave His Owner’s Side During His Entire Hospital Stay

year ago

The video of a yellow Labrador Retriever caring for his human friend has been viewed more than 9 million times. And let’s face it — dogs are just incredible creatures. Whether they’re providing comfort, assistance, or simply a sense of safety, these furry heroes embody the very best of humanity. Just look at Magnus, one of the best service dogs we’ve ever seen.

He went to the hospital for a check-up.

For Brian Benson, it all started with sudden chest pains and difficulty breathing. He went to the ER to get checked out, and as a result, doctors kept him for 3 days, running countless tests, observing his condition, and monitoring his heart.

Unfortunately, the prognosis was dire, and doctors discovered he had cardiomyopathy. In a word, his heart was weak due to blocked arteries, and it all was linked to his family history of heart disease and heart attacks, especially at a very young age.

He was leading a healthy life, but as he said, “You can’t beat genetics.”

Brian had been working out for over 35 years, eating healthily, completing multiple Spartan races, running the NYC marathon, and so on. And yet he’s one of those rare cases when a person “just” develops cardiomyopathy.

“The painful reality is that sometimes you just can’t beat your genetics, no matter how hard you work. It’s almost like trying to swim upstream — maximum effort with minimal or limited results,” he wrote on Instagram. However, he believed he was fortunate to have friends, family, and his boy, Magnus, when he needed them most.

His family and friends were always ready to help during visiting hours.

His daughters stayed with him all 3 days he was in the hospital. They ensured he was comfortable and had enough pillows and enough “yummy food to eat.” “They really stepped up and did EVERYTHING for me,” said Brian.

He was also grateful to his friends who stood in his corner, helping in any way possible. He has known many of them since childhood and others since the 3rd, 4th, & 5th grades. They’ve become a family for him, and they all checked in with him constantly to see if he was okay or needed their help.

But the only friend who was allowed to stay after visiting hours was Magnus.

Brian’s family and friends were not allowed to stay with him after visiting hours. Thankfully, doctors allowed Magnus, his service dog, to stay with him 24/7, and that added a lot to all that overwhelming outpouring of love and support that his relatives had already surrounded him with.

Magnus did precisely what he does best. He kept Brian relaxed and took his mind off the current situation, which is crucial for anyone with such a severe condition. He knew when to cuddle and when to get a little “goofy.” And he made the medical staff smile as well. “I love this dog more than he will ever know.”

Brian and Magnus became a local pet therapy team.

Now, they visit hospitals to comfort terminally ill children and adults. They also see their grieving families and do not forget about the overworked hospital staff who do everything possible to help their patients.

The team works with children who have severe learning disabilities and emotional disorders as well. And to do that, Magnus has to “shine” with empathy. He needs to have a natural ability to read people and understand all their needs in the moment. Magnus is just the right dog to do all these things and bring everyone smiles, joy, and love.

“Everyone who encounters Magnus cannot help but smile and feel relaxed. He has a calming nature about him that relieves any stress or anxiety you may have, and he always makes you feel at ease,” their official website reads. And hopefully, many people share their values and motto: “Life is better with a dog”!