A photo went viral on various social media sites showing Sully, former President George H.W. Bush’s service dog, lying beside his casket. Originally, they posted the photo on the Sully’s Instagram account with a caption saying that his mission was complete.
Sully’s humble beginnings
They named this Labrador retriever after Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot whose airplane (U.S. Airways) hit a flock of Canadian geese a few minutes after its take-off. The U.S. Airway’s two engines lost their powers. However, Captain Sullenberger made a dramatic decision.
Te heroic pilot was able to make a crash landing at the Hudson River near Manhattan, New York. Captain Sullenberger was able to save all the 115 passengers and flight crew of the U.S. Airways. In 2009, they declared Sully a national hero for his actions.
Sully was trained to become a guide dog by Friends of America’s VetDogs. Friends of America’s VetDogs is a non-profit organization that serves the needs of blind and disabled veterans and active duty army personnel.
Sully can follow 32 commands, including turning on lights, answering the phone, opening and closing doors, retrieving items, among others.
Sully’s mission
They assigned Sully to President H.W. Bush after he suffered emotionally from the death of his wife, Barbara Bush. He provided comfort for the President and the whole family during their time of mourning.
Apart from the emotional support, Sully also helped President H.W. Bush in his daily activities. President H.W. Bush was confined in a wheelchair due to vascular parkinsonism. The two bonded quickly.
Sully lives at President H.W. Bush’s home in Kennebunkport, Maine together with the staff. Despite being a busy dog, Sully can still find time to play with the President’s staff.
Sully’s Instagram account was full of photos showing his fondness towards President H.W. Bush. He also became the face of all the service dogs in the country.
Now that Sully’s mission in taking care of the former president is complete, he will be reassigned to take care of other veterans who will need his service.
Good job, Sully!
Here is an article on dogs that serve humans with disabilities that you will enjoy. https://happymutt.org/dogs-for-persons-with-disabilities/
Photos courtesy of sullyhwbush via Instagram