Nora Hall, four months old, suffered a stroke from pulmonary hypertension that crippled her nervous system and her brain. The baby, whose sweet nature made her all smiles, would not recover from the damage the stroke caused. After weeks of treatment in a Minneapolis children's hospital, her parents made the heart-wrenching decision to shut off life support.
While Nora lay comatose in the weeks up to her death, she was surrounded by a special pair of friends: the family's 8-year-old basset hounds, Gracie and Grumpy. The puppies snuggled and showed love for Nora as she quietly succumbed to her illness.
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"She died with her puppies at her feet and while being held close in the arms of her parents as they sang to her and caressed her and told her how very much they loved her ..." her mother, Mary Hall, wrote.
Dogs are man's best friend, and with good reason. In addition to their loyalty and companionship, dogs are brilliant at recognizing when their human isn't feeling well or is in danger. Mother Nature Network credits a dog's ability to recognize potential danger to their acute sense of smell. This skill set is what makes dogs excellent law enforcement officers and great companions for people with diabetes, epilepsy and depression.
The loving disposition of the basset hounds and their awareness of the health problems Nora Hall was facing allowed these animals to provide comfort to their family in their darkest moments. Watch the video below for more photos.
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