Joyce loses her husband and son in one year, and now fears for her dog’s future

Three thousand euros. That’s how much the operation costs to get four-legged friend Jack back to his old self. Only Joyce does not just have this amount lying around, especially after the absolute rotten year she has had. Fortunately, friend Erica offered a helping hand.

Disaster year

“In less than a year I lost two very dear people,” Joyce tells NH News. In January of this year, her 55-year-old husband died suddenly. To make matters worse, she also has to say goodbye to her 25-year-old son at the end of September. Her beloved family falls apart in a matter of months. Together with her other son and dog Jack, they try to make the best of it. “But there is nothing worse than losing your own child. There are just no words for that.”

Fortunately, Joyce can still rely on her youngest son and Jack. “But they are also going through a traumatic period,” she adds. “They lost their owner, brother and father in one fell swoop.”

Support and support

Then fate strikes for a third time. When Joyce starts her dog walking service again in November, the company she started with her husband, she immediately sees that something is wrong with Jack. “Every time he came out of his basket, I saw that he was pulling a lot with his paw,” she recalls. “Then I immediately thought: oh no! I can’t miss another one now.”

The trauma of the loss is etched in her memory. When she drives Jack to the vet, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Jack is not only her support and strength, but also her best employee. “He really is my right hand. In processing the loss, but also as a leader within the dog walking service.”

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The vet sees it right away: Jack has torn his cruciate ligaments. With an operation, Jack has to recover, but then the bill comes on the table. “I had no idea how I was going to pay for it,” says an audibly shaken Joyce. “But it had to be, there was no other option. Jack has to get well again.”

fundraising campaign

Best friend Erica has had to watch all year as Joyce goes down from her loss. No one can bring back her husband and son, but she can mean something to Jack. “What if I a fundraiser set up for you?”, she proposes to Joyce.

Joyce doesn’t want to hear about it at first. She feels burdened and would rather not burden anyone else with her grief. Yet Erica manages to convince her: “I’ll ask for the money anyway, you don’t have to ask anything.” And that works.

Within an hour, 260 euros have already been donated. Joyce gets emotional when she talks about all the generous donations. “It’s really unbelievable, how can I ever thank these people?” The counter is now above 2,200 euros and next Wednesday Jack will go under the knife. “Jack is just going to be okay!”

Christmas days

Joyce still can’t comprehend it. She is already looking forward to spending Christmas with Jack and her son. There still seems to be a small bright spot at the end of a pitch-black year. Joyce is convinced that her husband and son are watching this little miracle. “And Erica is my absolute hero.”

“I want to thank everyone who donated from the bottom of my heart!” Joyce emphasizes. “Thanks to you, Jack can get well again.”