In uncertain times, it is important to have people to rely on. If you’re one of the lucky ones, that may come in the form of family — kids, siblings, or parents that can help care of you in times of need. The sad thing is, many people do not have a support system.
Enter a good samaritan like Karen Eveleth of Manitou Springs, Colorado. In our modern times people hardly know their neighbors anymore, and it’s far from common practice to ask for a cup of sugar, but Eveleth thought differently. She saw her elderly neighbor in need and stepped up with the help of a very important friend.
Under normal circumstances, a trip to the grocery store is a simple chore for anyone. However, things were far from normal for Karen Eveleth and her neighbor Renee Hellman. In fact, things were far from normal for anyone.
Markham Review
It was the spring of 2020, and entire countries were still locked down due to the threat of the coronavirus. Under government recommendations, no one was leaving their home much — especially Renee Hellman.
Yap Chee Hong
For 71-year-old Renee, avoiding the grocery store was a matter of life and death. See, because of her age and medical conditions, she was at a particular high risk during the coronavirus pandemic.
WSFA 12
Hellman has COPD and heart problems. These underlying conditions, combined with her age, made it even more crucial for her to stay indoors and practice social distancing to avoid the infectious virus. Of course, this presented some problems.
US Airforce
The elderly woman still had to cook for herself and eat, but the challenge of obtaining food was becoming dire. She had been isolated in her house for weeks and her supply of food was slowly running out.
ABC News
With no family in the area, Hellman didn’t know what to do. Luckily, her neighbor of ten years had an idea after she saw a story on the news about dogs comforting people in hospitals.
Susan Ryan
“I thought, ‘Wait a second, I have a dog that could help,’” Eveleth told CNN. She called up Hellman and offered to get her groceries, as she knew she was isolated and didn’t have a way to re-up on much needed food.
Good Morning America
Eveleth headed home with groceries for Hellman. Instead of dropping them off at the front door, she decided she would enlist a very special delivery method. This way, her elderly neighbor would get her groceries and an added bonus.
CNN
This is where Eveleth’s 7-year-old golden retriever named Sundance came into the picture. More than an adorable face, retrievers are programmed to, well, retrieve things, making them the fetch champions of the dog world.
Karen Eveleth
Eveleth knew Sundance could handle this task. So, she got to work training him to walk next door with groceries for Hellman, and it didn’t take long for him to get the hang of it. Soon, Hellman was getting daily deliveries from Sundance.
KKTV
The pup brought over chicken, flour, vegetables and premade meals in bowls for the older woman. All delivered with a smile for nothing but a few pets. “I make meals for her also and Sundance brings back the empty bowls,” Eveleth told CNN.
The Union Journal
“Every day we send something back and forth. He’s just happy to do his job,” Hellman said, and to see his favorite treat waiting for him after he completes his daily errands. Sundance is a born helper, even outside being Hellman’s delivery boy.
KKTV
“He is a humble hero. When he hears something drops, he knows I’ve got to get that for mom because I have a bad back. He also gets the mail. I have the carrier leave the box open. Sunny has two siblings, but delivery and pick up is not in their DNA,” Eveleth told CNN.
CBS 58
Sundance is not the only neighbor who has gone out of their way to check in on Hellman during the pandemic, but it’s hard to believe he isn’t the cutest. Along with her groceries, Sundance offers her something else that is just as important.
ABC 11
Being completely isolated for weeks on end can be damaging to one’s mental health. Especially in times of crisis and anxiety. When Sundance arrives at Hellman’s front door, even if it’s just for a moment, she has a companion.
Good Morning America
When human connection is scarce, animals can be a much-needed lifeline for many lonely people. Having a dog has been known to lower blood pressure and reduce stress and anxiety levels. During times of self-isolation, many people have caught on to this trick.
Bev Sykes / Flickr
While many of the major shelters in cities like Los Angeles and New York City have closed, dogs and cats have been welcomed into the homes of hundreds of thousands of Americans at an incredible rate.
Much like the therapy dogs that have been used in hospitals, or brought onto universities during exam weeks, it is a well known fact that dogs simply make every situation better with their wagging tails and infallible joy.
University of Fraser Valley / Flickr
As for Sundance, he’s just doing what comes naturally. Of her personal hero, Hellman can’t help but gush. When speaking of the golden retriever, she smiled and said, “He is a fun one.”
KKTV
So what if your groceries come with a little bit of slobber around the edges? Sundance is just one of the many ways people around the world are coping with isolation and quarantine.
CNN