A couple left their daughter stunned by adopting a dog she spent a year bonding with at the senior living facility where her dad works after its owner sadly passed away.
Jean Bogert, aged seven, from Garfield, New Jersey, often visits the senior living facility where her dad Eugene works, and over the past year became extremely close to a couple and their dog, Coco.
The couple, Nancy and Charles, had moved from Washington to New Jersey when Nancy was diagnosed with cancer, bringing Coco, a nine-year-old Australian shepherd and border collie cross, with them.
Eugene offered to walk Coco three times a day for the couple, and when visiting her father at work, the first thing Jean would ask was, “Where’s Coco?”
As she began to lose her fight with cancer, Nancy asked Eugene if he would take care of Coco when she passed away.
Having received approval from his wife, Deja, Eugene said yes, and after Nancy’s passing, he kept Coco at the home for a few weeks to comfort Charles who couldn’t care for her due to his dementia.
On February 26, her father walked through the door of their home with Coco by his side, with a delighted Jean initially assuming Coco was only visiting.
But when her family broke the news Coco would be staying with them she cried tears of happiness.
Deja said: “We have never seen Jean cry happy tears, and we were all shocked to see her reacting this way, so we couldn’t help but to cry happy tears with her.
“We’re so honored and blessed to have Coco in our lives, she is the sweetest dog we could ever ask for.
“We thank Nancy for trusting our family to care for Coco and we will make you proud.
“Our family and friends have been so supportive of this decision we made to care for Coco and they all cannot wait to come over and meet her.”
