Dying wishes are a gift that sadly many of us never get to see fulfilled. The fragility of life – and the accompanying, often sudden nature of death – means that very few people have the time or resources to make one final wish come true before their time comes.
For some, that wish might be as simple as having their family gathered at their bedside prior to their passing. Others might like to visit a special place one last time, or meet an idol or hero.
As far as dying wishes go, Karina Courtmanche, a 79-year-old from Bethany, Connecticut had a rather simple one: to see her beloved horse, Bella, one last time.
As per KLTV, Karina is on hospice care, and her caretakers have said that she doesn’t have much time left.
The 79-year-old has owned Bella since the 30-year-old horse was a baby – one can only imagine the unbreakable bond the two have forged since then.
Suffering from a terminal illness in its latter stages, Karina reportedly made clear her wish that she get the chance to interact with Bella one last time.
Michelle Walker, RN Case Manager for Connecticut Hospice, said Courtmanche told her how desperately she wanted to see her four-legged friend.
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“We were talking with her, and she kept talking about her horse Bella, that she wanted to see Bella,” Walker explained.
Given Karina’s condition, it wasn’t so simple as just taking her to the stables to see Bella, but Walker – and the staff at Karina’s nursing home – were determined to ensure they did everything to make the reunion possible.
Together, the teams worked to get her an ambulance ride to Bittersweet Farm where Bella lives, ensuring that she had a stretcher and on-hand care should she need it.
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Needless to say, Karina and Bella’s final meeting was a tear-jerking affair, but Karina was able to feed her companion carrots and stroke her nose with affection.
“I’m very excited that I’m able to give her this last wish. It’s important to her, so it’s important to us,” Walker added.
As per reports, Bella will continue to be looked after at Bittersweet Farm when Karina passes.
Watch Karina’s visit to see Bella in the video below:
Truly heartbreaking, but at the same time I’m delighted for Karina’s sake that she got to see Bella one last time.
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