A Stoneman Douglas student walked out of school to find someone very special but unexpected waiting to pick her up.
When Stoneman Douglas students returned to school for the first time since the tragic school shooting, they no doubt faced a challenging and emotional day. One student's mother decided to make her daughter's day a little bit better by meeting her after school - with her horse.
Coleen Coleman rode her daughter, Krystal's, horse to the Stoneman Douglas school to pick her daughter up. The whole thing was a surprise, and Krystal found her mom and her horse waiting for her at the end of the day.
This wasn't the only animal to help these students after this tragedy. Therapy dogs were on hand to meet and greet the students as they returned to school. The Lutheran Church Charities K-9s traveled out to meet with the students and provide reassurance during this difficult time. The dogs also traveled to Sandy Hook after the shooting, as well as to Boston after the Boston Marathon bombing.
Sometimes, in the midst of tragedy, animals can comfort us in ways that humans can't. There's something important about being able to spend time with an animal and not being expected to talk, answer questions, or explain what you're feeling. Animals are calming, reassuring, and non-judgemental, and often they're just what we need when we're struggling to process something that we don't even understand, ourselves.
Has an animal ever helped you through a challenging time? Let us know in the comments.
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