Rejane Chili is 49 years old and lives in Porto Alegre, Brazil. A few months ago, she found out that she had cancer and the disease quickly progressed into a terminal state. Very debilitated, Rejane can no longer leave the hospital, having being kept there several weeks already. Throughout this difficult period, the woman receives the regular visit from her friends and family, but she often complains about the absence of someone very special.
Rejane is crazy about her dog Ritchie. She’s taken care of him ever since he was a puppy and spoils her pet as much as she does her own son. For Rejane, being apart from him has been torture. Scared about the possibility of dying without seeing Ritchie again, she asks several times for the dog to be brought in for a last visit. However, the hospital’s police are against the presence of animals on its premisses. Mostly because the risk of contamination is very high for someone with such poor health. But Rejane is dying, and coming into contact with a few extra germs cannot greatly deteriorate her current state. Touched by this final wish, the Palliative Care Group of the Ernesto Dornelles Hospital, where she is being treated, decides to make an exception and allow the entry of this furry visitor.
On the agreed day, Tiago, Rejane’s son, travels with the dog in a taxi to meet his mum. For security reasons, the meeting is scheduled to take place in a special room. However, once Ritchie sees from far away his owner, he can’t wait a minute more. The animal runs toward Rejane and before anyone could react, he jumps onto her hospital bed, licking her face. What a moving encounter! The woman and the dog are clearly overwhelmed with happiness. For those around them, it is impossible to hold back the tears.
This wonderful moment was filmed by Rejane’s family:
