OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Tennessee family is leaning on the support of their community as their 19-year-old son and nine-week-old puppy are both battling serious illnesses.
The family said they recently brought home the 9-week-old golden retriever to be a support animal for their son, who is currently in hospice, but learned their puppy has Parvovirus just last week.
“It’s like looking into a furry mirror,” said Tyler Kuhn.
After suffering heart failure last year, 19-year-old Kuhn was told he had weeks left to live. With a slim chance of receiving a heart transplant, he was left with two options.
“We were given the option to work up for it with a high probability of death or we were told we could come home with hospice, which is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do because you’re not supposed to bury your baby,” said his mom, Jessica Kuhn.
That was last October, and Tyler continues to push on. When his 13-year-old beagle Buster died about a month ago, his family decided to get him a new friend a golden retriever names Xena.
“She’s so cute. She looks at you with Sarah McLaughlin playing in the background. She’s so sweet,” said Jessica.
However, just a few hours after taking Xena home, she started showing signs of illness. Eventually, they took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with Canine Parvovirus.
“It is different disease, different species altogether, but same, same situation,” Tyler said. “It’s weird being on the other end of it.”
Tyler said he and Xena instantly bonded when he brought her home, and given everything he went through last year, he knows exactly what she is going through.
“But just like her, I had a staring contest with the Grim Reaper, but I in fact came out on top anyway,” said Tyler.
Now, between Tyler’s and Xena’s medical expenses, Jessica said their community has helped them along the way.
“It’s been very humbling,” he said, “But there’s so many people rooting for her and for Tyler and for all of us and it’s been a blessing. ”
She said while Tyler is still in hospice, he is showing signs of improvement, and so is his puppy Xena. The family set up a GoFundMe to help cover Xena’s veterinary costs, which has already raised more than $1,100 toward its $2,800 goal.