Kathy’s Guardian Angel story told in her own words:

Around 2007, I quit my job to answer a calling to help house those experiencing homelessness. Dale Mullennix, the executive director of the homeless service agency where I worked, asked me if I would be the speaker at our annual fundraising lunch, but I did not feel qualified, so I declined.

But Dale gave me a book by Bruce Wilkinson titled You Were Born for This. The cover informed me he also was the author of The Prayer of Jabez.

I promised to read it.

Two weeks later, I was on a flight, and I brought the book.

I sat beside a silver-haired woman who was knitting. I heard a whisper when I looked at her: Ask her what she does.

I dismissed the whisper as my imagination.

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Later, the whisper was insistent, so I knew I had to listen.

“Where are you going in California?” I asked.

“I’m speaking at a conference,” she said.

I could feel a full-body tingle run through me as if to say, Told you so! Pay attention.

“It’s funny you say that, because someone just asked me to speak, but I am afraid. I’m just trying to get comfortable.”

“Don’t get comfortable!” she said. “Then it becomes about you and not about God.”

My eyes filled with tears as she spoke. How did she know what I needed to hear?

As we walked off the plane, she handed me her business card. I read the name of my airplane angel: Beverly Burnett. Beverly grabbed my hand. “Don’t forget the most important thing to do before you speak is to pray,” she said, and then added, “My favorite is the prayer of Jabez.”

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My heart stopped when Beverly said the prayer of Jabez. It was the title of that other book by Bruce Wilkinson.

“You are an angel,” I said.

I called Dale later on.“I will do it,” I said.

“God finally talking to you?” Dale asked.

“Yes.” I smiled.

An Angel expert weighs in…

“Kathy’s story shows how divine whispers can guide us toward our purpose. The persistent whisper to engage with the stranger led to the exact encouragement she needed at that time,” says Sunny Dawn Johnson, a global authority on the angelic realm, with a portfolio of 22 books, including popular titles such as Invoking the Archangels, The Love Never Ends, and 365 Days of Angel Prayers. “The timing of her helper’s arrival, his clean appearance despite the muddy conditions and the absence of other cars point to a divine angelic presence. The man’s refusal to accept payment and his cheerful demeanor are also common traits in angelic encounters. This experience serves as a gentle reminder that we are watched over in difficult moments. Trust in your angels. They are near and ready to offer help.” Read more of Sunny’s insightful stories here.

Do you have an Angel story to share?

Send your story, along with a clear photo of yourself and your name, address and phone number to: Angels@WomansWorldMag.com. By submitting your story, you are granting Woman’s World magazine permission to use it and your photo in the print magazine, on our website and/or in future special issue publications. Submissions may be edited for style.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

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Christy had a small business shopping and delivering groceries to seniors and shut-ins. Every day, she drove her Prius all over town, and frequently spotted the same man walking along Main Street to the highway and crossing a dangerous overpass with no sidewalk. Rolling down her window, she asked, “Can I give you a ride?”

The man gratefully accepted, and Christy learned his name was Bill Moczulewski, a 57-year-old legally blind Walmart custodian who worked the overnight shift. Bill lives 5 miles from the store. Sometimes co-workers gave him a lift, but mostly Bill walked — 2 hours each way.

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“I will give you my number,” Christy said as she dropped him off. “Give me a call if you need a ride.”

But Bill is a proud man and hates asking for help.

Christy was disappointed when Bill didn’t call. But a few afternoons later, she spotted him walking to work again

“Hop in,” she said, and when they pulled into Walmart she told him, “I was serious — give me a call when you need a ride.”

“I will,” Bill said, but Christy had her doubts. So she posted Bill’s description and circumstances on a local Facebook group. If you see him walking, text me so I can go give him a lift.

Not only did people text Bill sightings, soon the group page was so congested with messages of support and others asking how they could help that Christy created a dedicated group: Mr. Bill’s Village.

When Christy’s Prius died, and she had to drive the family’s gas guzzler pickup with no air-conditioning, she stopped doing deliveries — the gas cost more than she was earning. But she still gave Bill rides every chance she could.

“I’m coming to get you,” she phoned him one morning during a torrential downpour.

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Christy couldn’t always get away to pick up Bill — especially after her husband, Jason, was laid off from his job. But by then, Mr. Bill’s Village had over 6,000 members with hundreds competing to give him rides. And Bill accepted, having discovered he enjoyed the company.

When Christy learned that Bill’s income didn’t always stretch to pay his bills and buy enough food, she started an account at the local super­market. Others funded gift cards at local restaurants.

As things turned out, Christy herself was also the recipient of neighbors’ generosity. When a local car dealer heard about Christy and Bill, he wanted to help and gave Christy a reliable minivan with much better gas mileage­ — on the very same day Jason found a new job!

“I’m living proof that the good you put out there will come back in ways you never expected,” says Christy.

As for Bill, “I’ve made a lot of wonderful friends,” he says. “There are so many nice people in this world, and I get to meet a lot of them!”

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Lanita’s Guardian Angel story told in her own words:

The day had been an emotional one, driving 3 hours to attend the funeral of a beloved cousin. We also wanted to see our grandchildren, so we arranged to travel from the funeral an hour and half to a restaurant to meet the family for dinner.

As we traveled north on a divided highway toward Indianapolis, the rain stopped, started and stopped again, leaving the ground muddy.

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Suddenly — bump, bump, bump! It was apparent that we had a damaged tire.

My husband, Steve, turned onto a side road and stopped. We looked at each other in dismay. Of course, I was in a dress and heels, and he was in a suit and tie.

Just as we exited our car to examine the damage, a white truck pulled up behind us. Out stepped a trim, middle-aged man dressed in white jeans and a white T-shirt. Friendly and laid-back, he offered to change our tire. We hesitated, but we knew we probably would make a mess of ourselves and the tires if we tried.

We just stood and watched. He explained that he had gone home after his work shift to shower and change clothes and was just going to meet some friends. As he worked, we chatted about inconsequential matters.

The speed with which he changed the tire was impressive, but even more impressive was that he didn’t get a single spot of mud on his clothes.

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As he finished, Steve insisted that he take some money, but he would not. He cheerfully got in his truck and drove away with a wave.
As we got back in the car, we looked at each other again — this time not in dismay but in astonishment.

Not another car had passed on that isolated road the entire time we were there. The only one that came by offered just the help we needed — our own angel, who sent us on our way with a wave.

An Angel expert weighs in…

“Lanita’s encounter is a perfect example of angelic intervention. Angels often appear to provide assistance in ways that defy coincidence,” says Sunny Dawn Johnson, a global authority on the angelic realm, with a portfolio of 22 books, including popular titles such as Invoking the Archangels, The Love Never Ends, and 365 Days of Angel Prayers. “The timing of her helper’s arrival, his clean appearance despite the muddy conditions and the absence of other cars point to a divine angelic presence. The man’s refusal to accept payment and his cheerful demeanor are also common traits in angelic encounters. This experience serves as a gentle reminder that we are watched over in difficult moments. Trust in your angels. They are near and ready to offer help.” Read more of Sunny’s insightful stories here.

Do you have an Angel story to share?

Send your story, along with a clear photo of yourself and your name, address and phone number to: Angels@WomansWorldMag.com. By submitting your story, you are granting Woman’s World magazine permission to use it and your photo in the print magazine, on our website and/or in future special issue publications. Submissions may be edited for style.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

Want to read more Guardian Angel encounters?

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On a cold March night in 2017, Susan Klingenberg carried a one-day-old calf into the cozy, warm kitchen of her Manchester, Maryland, home. Her father looked at his animal-loving daughter and her new addition, shook his head and laughed. “I can’t put him in the barn, it’s too cold out,” Susan told her dad, who nodded in agreement.

After exploring the kitchen, the calf, whom she’d named Bucket, walked over to a big dog bed that belonged to Susan’s beloved Saint Bernard mix, Colton. He looked longingly at it as if thinking, This looks comfortable, and plopped down. Soon little Bucket, himself the size of a large dog, was curled in the bed, fast asleep.

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A surprising friendship

Susan had bought Bucket for $10 earlier that day at a livestock auction and named him in honor of her bucket list wish to save a life. She gazed at him sleeping peacefully in the dog bed and said aloud: “You are going to be safe and loved and are never going to have to worry about a thing. You are going to have so much love.” Later that week, Susan carried Bucket to a fenced-in area near the barn of her 7-acre property. She opened the gate and watched in anticipation as Colton ambled over to meet this new friend for the first time. The pair—who were exactly the same size — rubbed noses and gave each other affectionate licks. Susan’s heart melted.

Since Bucket had just been separated from his mother, he was looking for companionship — and Colton became an instant bestie. The pair started running around the enclosure together and snuggling on the grass as if they were both dogs.

As time passed, the friendship between the duo grew. So did Bucket, who, within a year, towered over Colton. To compensate for the size difference, Bucket started kneeling down to play so they’d be eye level. It is such a beautiful friendship, Susan marveled. And an idea took hold in her heart.

Susan has had a lifelong passion for helping animals, and after saving Bucket and seeing how happy he was, she found herself wanting to rescue even more animals.

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Acres of joy

In May 2018, Susan bought a 31-acre property in rural Brodnax, Virginia, and transformed it into an animal rescue she called Little Buckets Farm Sanctuary (LittleBucketsFarmSanctuary.org), after her favorite cow.

Now some 50 animals, including goats, donkeys, cows, dogs, cats, a pig and several guinea hens, all rescued by Susan, live in harmony on the farm. Colton — whose nickname is the animal whisperer — has welcomed each new addition just as she did Bucket with her gentle, caring nature.

There is Tater and Tot, twin 4-year-old male goats with neurological and vision problems. Pisa, another goat, was born with neurological issues that cause her to fall down whenever she tries to walk. Susan bought a cart to help Pisa get around.

This May, Susan brought home another goat to add to her growing animal family, Lucca, a rescued baby born with no front legs. For now, Lucca lives in the main house, as have all new additions so Susan can shower them with extra loving care.

Bucket’s close circle of friends has also grown and now includes three other cows to pal around with. “The sweetest boys that you can imagine,” Susan says. “They just want to love and be loved and play and take their naps, the same as what dogs do in a house, they just do it in a field.”

These days, Susan, 53, shares tales of life at the sanctuary on social media (@littlebucketsfarmsanctuary) and offers in-person tours, where visitors get to witness all the animals’ vibrant personalities and the unique, wonderful bond between Colton and Bucket.

“Both Colton and Bucket have the same warm, nurturing personalities,” says Susan. “The friendship between the two of them is really beautiful and brings me such joy — and thanks to them, so many other animals are getting a second chance at love too.”

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At first, Jackie Stange thought the cars ahead were stopped because of a breakdown. The trauma nurse was taking her 4-year-old, Eloise, to gymnastics class. They’d left early that day so Eloise could get a donut on the way. With traffic stalled, Jackie was about to take a turnoff when she spotted Giustino lying in the middle of the road.

Pulling over, she told Eloise, “I’ll be right back. Mommy has to make sure somebody’s okay.”

“I’m a nurse,” Jackie announced, kneeling beside Giustino. He wasn’t breathing, and had no pulse.

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Another motorist had already called 911 but from her training, Jackie knew she had only seconds to act and quickly began compressions.
“Come on, please breathe!” she urged, pressing with all her might — again and again.

Minutes passed like hours, but Jackie pushed on, desperately pumping the young man’s chest, looking for even the slightest movement. She was so focused she didn’t hear the approaching sirens. Not until a pair of strong hands clutched her by the shoulders.

Not wanting to get in the way, Jackie slipped away.

“I pray he’s okay,” she told Eloise’s instructor after relating the story. “The whole time I couldn’t stop thinking this is some other mother’s son. I can’t let him die.”

And thanks to her quick intervention, he didn’t.

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After restarting his heart, paramedics rushed Giustino to the hospital, where he was met by his parents.

“His heart simply stopped — cardiac arrest, and it’s likely genetic,” the doctors explained. To give Giustino’s heart a chance to rest, they sedated him and put him on a respirator.

It was three days before Giustino was brought out of sedation. “What happened?” he asked groggily, and his mom, Heather, related the details and told him about the stranger who had stopped to help.

Meanwhile, Jackie couldn’t get the young man out of her mind. So, she was excited when Eloise’s gymnastics instructor called telling her, “My neighbor told me her son collapsed in the road Monday.”

With her help, soon Jackie and Heather were talking on the phone and the next day, they met at the hospital.

“Mom says you saved me,” Giustino gripped Jackie’s hand.

“I just did what I’ve been trained to do,” Jackie protested, but Heather wouldn’t hear it.

“You saved his life. It’s that simple,” she insisted.

Doctors installed a defibrillator in case Giustino’s heart ever stops again, and after 10 days, he was home.

“Without Jackie, I wouldn’t be here,” he says gratefully.

“I’m just happy I was there, and everything worked out,” Jackie smiles.

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Pamela’s Guardian Angel story told in her own words:

My dad had a stroke, and although he recovered, his body began to slow down. He was in his late eighties with a lot of health problems. It made me sad to see him slowly begin to fade.

My mom had passed away quite a few years earlier, and I had moved in with my dad. He was 80 then, but still highly independent. He drove his car, played golf and went fishing; there were weekly card games and dinners out with my aunt and uncle.

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Sadly, time has a way of catching up with all of us. This strong man who worked hard all his life began to decline. Slowly, infection after infection wore him down. There became more and more doctor visits and hospitalizations. Until finally, when he could no longer walk on his own, he was admitted to a nursing home.

Days became months, and at the end of a year, the call came while I was at work informing me to come quickly because he didn’t have much time left. I called the family and drove to the nursing home. Hospice was already there. The chaplain gathered us all around Dad’s bed and we held hands and prayed over him.

My two daughters and I sadly stood around his bed. It was at that moment the inexplicable strong scent of flowers surrounded the bed where he lay. My daughters looked at me quizzically. I stepped away from the bed and there was no smell. I returned to his bedside, and it smelled like a floral garden.

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I tearfully told my daughters the angels were coming for Dad very soon. The smell was a heavenly sign that he was going home, and the angels were letting us know everything was going to be okay. The smell disappeared as suddenly as it came. Dad died minutes later.

Years ago, I had heard about the “odor of sanctity.” I knew the floral smell was a blessing given to us by the angels to bring us comfort and peace.

An Angel expert weighs in…

“Pamela shares the bittersweet moments as her family said a final farewell to her dad, and she and her daughters were surrounded by this sudden floral fragrance. She felt a profound sense of peace and understood it as a divine signal, the ‘odor of sanctity’ she had once heard of. And she is right,” says Sunny Dawn Johnson, a global authority on the angelic realm, with a portfolio of 22 books, including popular titles such as Invoking the Archangels, The Love Never Ends, and 365 Days of Angel Prayers. “The scent was a sign from the angels signaling her father’s imminent journey home to a place beyond pain and weariness. Her story is a touching reminder that sometimes, in the midst of loss, we are granted a grace that helps us find solace and the strength to let go.” Read more of Sunny’s insightful stories here.

Do you have an Angel story to share?

Send your story, along with a clear photo of yourself and your name, address and phone number to: Angels@WomansWorldMag.com. By submitting your story, you are granting Woman’s World magazine permission to use it and your photo in the print magazine, on our website and/or in future special issue publications. Submissions may be edited for style.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

Want to read more Guardian Angel encounters?

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Feeding bellies and souls

From the day he arrived at St. Vincent De Paul Parish in San Diego in 1982, Father Joe Carroll believed his duties extended beyond preaching to the congregation sitting in the church pews. He would go out into the community and talk to people, from single mothers struggling to feed and clothe their kids to the homeless. I need to do something to help them, his heart would tell him.

When the opportunity arose, Father Joe took over as director of the St. Vincent De Paul Center, a combination thrift store and soup kitchen, that had been operating for decades. In the coming years, he grew the program into a nonprofit called Father Joe’s Villages, which provides food, shelter, medical services and more to people experiencing homelessness. What once operated out of one small chapel now has many sites that house more than 2,000 people a night.

Father Joe became legendary for his compassion. He treated everyone who visited his villages with respect. As a man who loved to eat, mealtime was especially important to him. Giving people the opportunity to sit together and have a nutritious meal, he believed, not only provides a sense of normalcy but dignity.

With that in mind, Father Joe began hosting special holiday meals for the homeless in the community — including one for Independence Day. Father Joe — who died at age 80 in 2021 — would always attend and mingle with his neighbors in need, wanting them to know that someone cares.

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Changing lives

The Independence Day celebration, like all Father Joe’s meals, begins with a prayer. Then, it’s like any other Fourth of July barbecue. People chat, laugh and eat. And for a brief time, they forget about the misery and stress of living without a home.

Ruth Bruland, chief program officer for Father Joe’s Villages, feels moved when she sees so many people who live very difficult lives relaxing, eating and enjoying themselves — and knowing what it feels like to have a full stomach.

“Thanks so much for making us feel welcome,” people tell staff and volunteers.

Ruth calls the Independence Day celebration “a tremendous event that has so much meaning. Every single person who comes to that meal, no matter how young or old, is somebody’s kid,” she says. “We need to remember that. They’re not clients; they’re our neighbors. We want to remind people they are loved and cared about.” And that can be life-changing, she says.

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Ben Algar had just started carpentry school when he was diagnosed with cancer and had to leave for treatment. He prayed to return to class but told his instructor, “If I am not able, my mom will go in my place.” When he lost his battle, she fulfilled his last request.

As they are treated with respect, people come to realize, Oh wow I’ve forgotten it can be like this. And maybe they join one of Father Joe’s programs that provide education, vocational training and help with employment and housing.

Amber Lucky — mom of Aaliyah, 5, and Liberty, 3 — calls Father Joe’s a godsend. She struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, and her husband, Billy, died in 2021, leaving her and their kids without income. Now, thanks to help from Father Joe’s, Amber has been sober for three years and is living with her girls in a San Diego townhouse.

Amber has attended many special meals at Father Joe’s, including Fourth of July.

“I feel bad a lot of times that I don’t have a big family for my kids to be able to visit… but you go to these meals, and they make it so beautiful and special that you don’t feel like you’re left out of anything. You can really feel the love in the air.”

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It was the spring of ’71 when Peter was transferred to a new unit to finish up the little bit of time left on his tour of duty in Vietnam. When he was sent back stateside, his sergeant handed him a box and asked him to make sure it got delivered to the solider on the label: field medic John Nordgaard.

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When John was discharged, there hadn’t been a mail clerk in the unit, so he left his box of medals with his sergeant, who now handed it to Peter.

But before Peter boarded the flight home, a guard confiscated his duffle and the box. “We need to check these for contraband, then we’ll ship them home for you.”

Peter headed to Fort Hood, Texas, to finish out his service. His duffle and the box went to his parents’ Michigan home.

When Peter finally caught up with his belongings, he discovered the flap on the box had been torn. John’s name was still there, but the address was gone. This was long before the internet. But now, 50 years later, with so many online resources available, Peter wondered if there might be a way to find John. Not social media savvy, Peter asked his son, Andy, for help.

Peter had just finished mounting his own medals when he heard back from Andy. “I think I found John’s daughter in Ohio! I sent her an email!” he happily reported.

Unfortunately, his email went to her junk folder, where it remained for three years before she finally stumbled upon it.

Growing up, she’d heard stories about the medals her dad had been awarded — a Bronze Star for meritorious service and a Purple Heart when he was injured in a firefight risking his life to save several wounded soldiers — and how they had never made it home to him.

She immediately contacted Peter, who insisted on traveling to John’s home in Milwaukee to hand-deliver the box.

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“Thank you,” John beamed.

“I’ve always been proud of my service, but now I also have the proof that my country is proud of me,” he says.

“As a vet, I know how much those medals mean to a fella,” says Peter. “I’m sure happy they finally made it back where they belong.”

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Catina’s Guardian Angel story told in her own words:

My mom was undergoing dialysis, and she was at the hospital three days a week for treatment. One of the things on my bucket list was to hike up to Everest Base Camp. I was finally going.

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On my last visit with Mom before I left, we talked about my Gram, Mom’s mom, who had passed away a few years earlier. We talked about
the funny things she used to say and do. We missed hearing her stories and her laugh.

The day my group left to reach Everest Base Camp, I was excited. But a couple of hours into the trek one of the guides checked my vitals. Organs can start to fail when your oxygen level drops to 70%. Mine was 55%. The decision was made that I was not allowed to continue any farther.

Two days later, I woke up feeling the worst I had felt in my life. Next thing I knew, I was being airlifted to a hospital.

Inside the helicopter, I was in and out. At one point, I felt the helicopter shake, and I was afraid we were going to crash. My heart was beating fast. Suddenly, a bright white light appeared. I tried moving my head away from the sun, but it wasn’t the sun. The white light got closer, hovering around me. I heard laughter that reminded me of Gram. I felt peaceful. I felt light. I felt happy.

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I was admitted to the hospital. I was suffering from high-altitude cerebral edema. I didn’t tell my mom because I didn’t want her to worry.
When I was better, I visited Mom. She grabbed my hand and asked me to tell her the truth about what happened.

I asked how she knew something had been wrong and she told me on Monday (the day I was airlifted), she had been undergoing dialysis when, suddenly, she heard Gram’s giggling. I told her I heard Gram’s giggle in the helicopter and how happy I’d felt. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen Mom smile that big.

An Angel expert weighs in…

“Catina’s harrowing journey and her grandmother’s presence during the crisis is a testament to the power of the spirit world,” says Sunny Dawn Johnson, a global authority on the angelic realm, with a portfolio of 22 books, including popular titles such as Invoking the Archangels, The Love Never Ends, and 365 Days of Angel Prayers. “That her Gram had been the focus of the last conversation Catina and her mother shared before she set off to Everest can be seen as an unspoken invitation for her to come to them. The shared laughter between daughter and mother, miles apart but emotionally connected, became a symbol of enduring family ties and protection. This connection brought newfound joy and comfort to Catina and her mother, reaffirming the inexplicable ways loved ones continue to touch our lives.” Read more of Sunny’s insightful stories here.

Do you have an Angel story to share?

Send your story, along with a clear photo of yourself and your name, address and phone number to: Angels@WomansWorldMag.com. By submitting your story, you are granting Woman’s World magazine permission to use it and your photo in the print magazine, on our website and/or in future special issue publications. Submissions may be edited for style.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

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Overseeing this touching scene was Erin Larson, who had adopted Tiptoe earlier that day from a sanctuary, her good friend Tabea Brockman and Kym Garvey, who runs the sanctuary. They all started to cry. “This is exactly what they both needed,” Erin said. “It couldn’t have gone better.”

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Fated friends

When Erin adopted Ty in 2021, she was told the horse had bad eyes, and when he eventually became blind, a 39-year-old gelding on the farm became Ty’s seeing buddy. Erin was touched, but couldn’t help wondering what would happen to Ty when his pal passed away.

Erin decided she needed to get Ty a new friend — another animal to stick with him, protect him and be with him forever. The perfect creature, she realized, was a donkey, which are known for their intense loyalty and toughness.

Three weeks later, in June of 2022, while Ty underwent a surgical procedure to remove an infected eye, Erin and Tabea passed the time scrolling on Facebook and spotted an emotional post from Kym, the founder of Save the Brays Donkey Rescue. It was a photo of little Tiptoe, his head hanging sadly, standing next to his best friend, a blind donkey who was suffering from a fatal brain tumor.

The last line in the post said, I just don’t know what Tiptoe is going to do once his buddy is gone. Erin looked at Tabea, and said, “This is it! This is meant to be.”

After Ty’s surgery successfully wrapped up, Erin arranged to meet Tiptoe, who, she learned, had a rough start in life. Soon after he was born, his mother stomped on him and left him with serious injuries. But vets during Tiptoe’s long stays in the ICU and his sanctuary mom, Kym, lovingly nursed him back to health, and he developed a gentle, loving nature for humans and his fellow equines.

Taking him home, Erin attached a bell to Tiptoe’s halter, and Ty would follow the ringing. The two spent their days eating, lying out in the sunshine or napping in a pasture together. But as much as Tiptoe enjoyed his time with Ty, Erin noticed that he would sometimes get bored. Donkeys love to be busy, I have to find something for him to do, Erin thought. And thinking about how much Tiptoe also loved humans, an idea hit.

Lifting spirits

In the fall of 2022, Erin decided to make Tiptoe a therapy donkey. On an October afternoon that year, Tiptoe, wearing a cowboy hat and bandana, clip-clopped into a local nursing home as Erin led the way. He walked gingerly into an elevator, and after the pair got off at the memory care floor, Tiptoe surprised and delighted the residents as he approached every bedside, snuggling and giving kisses. One woman sang the 1968 hit “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” by Tiny Tim to him as she gently stroked his face.

Tiptoe has even made home visits. In December of 2023, he visited Mary and Charlie Gibbs, who both have Alzheimer’s. Tiptoe was dressed as an elf — wearing an adorable red-, green- and white-striped hat — and as he ambled into their living room, like an affectionate large dog, Tiptoe tried to get up on Mary’s lap. He buried his head into her arm and nuzzled her, as she showered his nose with kisses.

Comfort

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These days, while Ty remains his best friend, Tiptoe makes several visits a month to nursing homes. “He’s really found his purpose,” says Erin. “I adopted Tiptoe to make Ty’s life better. I had no idea a little donkey could have such an impact on so many people. It fills my heart with joy!”

For more comforting animal stories, keep reading…

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