WATCH NOW: Watson the Dog is Unstoppable!
Watson is inspiring everyone everywhere.
Back in the spring of 2016 the Mann family got some awful news about their young Golden Retriever, Watson. When they heard there was a car accident on their street they rushed to the backyard to look for their dog. The wind had blown the gate open and everyone thought the worse.
As they went down the street to investigate, there lay Watson's body, covered with a sheet. He had darted across the road and a driver did not have time to stop.
The dog was rushed to the vet where it was determined that his spinal cord was severed and his back legs were paralyzed. A euthanization date was set.
But Geoff Mann just didn't feel right about it. He told The Omaha World Herald:
"As soon as I got off the phone with the vet, I called Anna and we just talked and cried some more, and didn't feel right about it at all. He had been an amazing dog for us."
The appointment was canceled and the Mann family brought Watson home.
But the road to recovery was a hard one.
Without the use of his back legs, and some painful broken legs, Watson needed help doing almost everything. The family, Geoff and Anna, and their two boys Jackson, now 13, and Ethan, 11, would pull Watson outside on a blanket for him to get fresh air and do his business. Except, in order for Watson to go to the bathroom, the family had to help by pushing on his stomach with a bag waiting on the other end.
The process is done four times a day and even has a code: "Did you poop the dog today?"
"It goes straight into a bag," Geoff said. "So the yard is as clean as ever."
The family would also take him on walks in a Red Flyer wagon, to the delight of the neighborhood, and soon Watson got his own wheelchair.
When the kids had to go back to school, and Anna and Geoff back to working full time, Watson needed some looking after. One of the caretakers that helped him after his time at the vet took a special liking to Watson. Her fiance died in a car accident and she felt a strong bond with Watson after what he went through.
"One of his caretakers, she moved here because her fiance was hit by a drunk driver and died," Annamarie said. "She came to Omaha to try to heal."
Watson helped his new caretaker heal, as he persevered on his own path to recovery. The way Watson inspired others with his attitude was incredible to watch for everyone around him.
"He helped her heal, which is pretty remarkable," Annamarie said. "I know he's a dog, but you really can learn a lot from this situation."
Watson was awarded the 2017 Pet of the Year by Omaha World Herald's Pet Parade. And everyone agrees that the dog deserves every bit of it.
"People, or animals, they don't have to be perfect to love them. I think we look for perfection in everything. I mean, he is perfect just the way he is."
Follow Watson on Instagram to see the happy guy get stronger every day.
What do you think of Watson's incredible story? Tell us in the comments below.
