We all hate being away from our loved ones, and 60-year-old John Burley knew that all too well.

John came down with pneumonia, and had to stay in a hospital way from Boomer, his beloved dog.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lydia Cornell (@lydiacornell1)

All that right before Thanksgiving too. What should’ve been an enjoyable holiday to most people turned into a bad dream come to life. John was seriously sick, away from family, and away from his best friend.

It shouldn’t be hard to imagine the toll it took on his mental health too.

While John was used to living alone in his apartment with Boomer, that isn’t to say Boomer was his only friend. John had another very trustworthy friend in Jennifer Smith, a nurse who worked at his nursing home.

John had adopted Boomer in Arkansas 12 years earlier, when he was still a puppy. When he moved to New York with boomer, it was really just the two of them.

John’s family remained in Arkansas, and Boomer was the only family staying with him.

Jennifer got to know John and his dog very well at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing home. John held Boomer very close to his heart. He talked about Boomer to her quite a lot, and made sure to show her photos of him too.

So Jennifer knew how nearly inseparable the two were. In fact, she probably knew more than most people.

And that’s why John trusted her to answer him in his time of need.

On the Monday after Thanksgiving, the phone at the nursing home was ringing nonstop. It was for Jennifer, who answered the phone and heard ” ‘Boomer is in the pound!’ Boomer is in the pound!’.

Boomer was taken to the pound because his owner was unable to look after him.

Unsurprisingly, John was distraught at this. He desperately asked for help, and he was fortunate to have had a friend like Jennifer.

“I told John I have a 13-year-old dog myself who I’ve had since a puppy, so I fully understand the panic. It made my heart sad for him and Boomer.” – Jennifer said in CNN’s coverage of the story

Jennifer had to find out where Boomer was taken first.

They were in New York, and you don’t need me to tell you how big New York is. She had to call every pet shelter she could find and track down the dog.

Her search was successful. She learned that Boomer was being kept in Rome Humane Society. With the location pinned down, Jennifer had to race against the clock to get Boomer before someone else did.

After an early lunch and a trip to the shelter, Jennifer was ready to adopt Boomer.

She saw Boomer in a cage far back, and immediately asked “OK, where are the adoption papers? I’m going to take him home.”

Though she didn’t bring him home yet, she could still let John know that everything was going to be okay.

When you’re in a situation like his, any reassurance or peace of mind becomes invaluable.

“It was one less worry that John has, and he needs to focus on getting better and taking care of himself and know Boomer is in good hands,”

John is still rehabilitating at his nursing home, but this time gets to see Boomer more often.

All thanks to Jennifer, who proved to be a wonderful friend above all.

“John seeing Boomer, that’s the only Christmas present I need right now.”

See more coverage of how Jennifer kept a man and his dog together in the sources below. Once more, please share this article with more people as well!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: CNN, Adult Day Healthcare at The Grand Rome