79-Year-Old Woman Reunites With Her Horse As Her Dying Wish After Spending 1 Year Under Hospice Care

Aug 14, 2023 by apost team

Having a bond between a human and their animal is a precious thing, especially when they spend most of their daily lives together. People take care of their beloved pets by providing everything they need, like shelter, food, and the like, but what these animals can give in return is unconditional love and emotional support.

According to a report by WBTV released in July 2023, a 79-year-old woman named Karina Courtmanche, who was under hospice care at the time, spent 30 years with her beloved horse named Bella as she was the one who raised the lovely animal since its early years.

Since she was not doing great and had been under medical care for over a year, her final wish was to see her horse for one last time in order to bid her goodbye before her time on this earth was at its end.

Fortunately, Courtmanche’s wish was granted with the help of her nurses, who always made sure she got all the care she needed.

In an emotional interview with the outlet, Michelle Walker, the RN Case Manager for Connecticut Hospice, revealed that granting her patient’s wish was important to every nurse in the facility because the horse was dearly beloved by Courtmanche.

She also noted that the sweet old lady would often talk about Bella whenever they had conversations.

“We were talking with her, and she kept talking about her horse Bella, that she wanted to see Bella,” she said.

The logistics of transporting Courtmanche, who was visibly ill, was not easy, but they all made it possible to transfer her from hospice care to Bittersweet Farm where her beloved animal resided.

Andrew Rennie, a member of the American Medical Response, spoke with the outlet to share more details about how they were able to pull off the sweet reunion.

“Our medical team, our EMTs, went to Mary Wade this morning to help transition her from her bed to the stretcher, she’ll be coming in an ambulance,” he said.

Prior to the reunion, Courtmanche was said to be staying under hospice care in Mary Wade for over a year, and even though her caretakers said she didn’t have much time left as her condition had declined, Walker said the old lady still loved dressing up, wearing jewelry, and makeup.

In videos shown in the news report, the old woman could be seen bonding with her beloved pet, and Bella appeared to still have recognized her.

There were also moments where she would pet her and feed her carrots even though she was lying down on a stretcher. 

“Isn’t it nice to see your horse again?” Walker asked Courtmanche, to which she replied a soft “yes.”

According to the reporter, Olivia Schueller, once Courtmanche passes away, the horse will still be taken care of at Bittersweet Farm.

The same video was uploaded to YouTube by the news outlet, and online users couldn’t help but feel emotional after seeing the sweet interaction between the two.

“This was so wholesome. A bond between a human and animal is so pure,” one wrote.

Another commenter commended the staff of Courtmanche’s hospice center, “What a beautiful thing the staff did. Most hospice centers wouldn’t take this step.”

apost.com

What do you think of the unbreakable bond between the sweet old lady and her horse? Did you feel emotional after reading this story? Let us know your thoughts, and make sure to pass this on to your friends and family.