The worst goodbyes are always the unexpected ones, especially when it’s your best friends.

Jan Holman is a lover of animals and a best friend to three of them.

After becoming terminally ill, things had to be cut short between her and the animals she loved so much.

Jan cared for Rowley and Montey, a pair of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and a horse named Bob. They were a part of her life for a very long time and were basically her family.

The British woman was brought to Hospice of the Good Shepherd after a transfer from the previous hospital she was in.

It’d been a good six weeks since she’d seen the horse and both dogs. She might’ve even thought she’d never see them again, dare I say.

Well, it didn’t have to come to that.

The people working at the Hospice learned how much the animals meant to Jan. So they organized a big surprise for her.

Monty and Rowley were brought in to see her and say goodbye, which already meant the world to Jan.

What she didn’t anticipate was Bob coming along too.

This was a massive, albeit heartfelt, surprise. Hospitals have allowed small animals like cats and dogs inside before. A horse is rather unheard of.

Nonetheless, they made it happen.

Bob was escorted to visit Jan. The meeting took place at the hospice’s patio, and Jan couldn’t be happier.

Bob was her loving horse whom she rode for days beyond count. To see his face again after 6 weeks apart probably put her at ease tremendously.

“I knew that arranging for my dogs to visit was possible as we had a neighbour who was a patient at the hospice a few years ago and we were allowed to bring the dogs to visit her, but I just didn’t expect that they would ever be able to give me the chance to see Bob one more time.” – Jan said to The Daily Post

She looked at the horse she rode for years and years and said goodbye. Bob had little idea that Jan wouldn’t ride him anymore.

He simply nuzzled and sniffed her the way he always did, but Jan definitely found it very heartfelt.

Speaking again, Jan said the following : “I just can’t believe what the staff here at the hospice have done for me. Until a few weeks ago I was still riding Bob every day and he is such an important part of my life, and I have missed him so much.”

Dennis, Jan’s husband of 46 years, was grateful to the hospice for making such an arrangement.

COVID restrictions would make such a thing very hard to do, but they found a way.

“It was just such a relief once Jan was moved from the hospital to the hospice in Chester and we were able to have named visitors who could come and see Jan regularly, however, we never imagined that we would be able to include Monty, Rowley and Bob on the visiting list.” – Dennis said

He was floored at the lengths the hospice went through to put a smile on Jan’s face.

When is it ever easy to say goodbye to the person you’ve loved for 46 years? All the little things from the hospice meant the world to these two.

“All the staff here have been wonderful. Jan has been so well cared for, nothing is too much trouble even down to the chef coming every day to see what he can tempt Jan to eat. Nothing is too much trouble, including arranging for a horse to visit!” – he told The Daily Post.

The hospice was more than happy to make such accommodations for Jan.

Such surprises and arrangements are what the hospice prides itself in. As Louise Saville King (deputy ward manager at the hospice) puts it :

“The ethos of hospice care is not just about caring for the clinical needs of our patients but also looking after their emotional and spiritual needs as well.”

It’s very touching to those of us watching and reading from our homes as well. Thank you, Hospice of the Good Shepherd, for making Jan happy when she needed it most.

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See the hospice’s full post of the special visit they arranged for Jan below!

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Source: Hospice of the Good Shepherd on Facebook, The Daily Post