In February of 2014 at only three months old (view Archive 2015.11.15), Morgan began her job as official greeter of the DOY Federal Credit Union. She loved her job prancing out to greet the DOY members and the many pets that accompanied their owners (view Archive 2015.12.21). When not greeting members, she was outside chasing critters, tearing her toys apart to get the squeaker, or in the winter playing in the snow (Archive 2018.01.20). She loved to swim, lay in the sun, and take long walks in various parks throughout the area (2016.10.07). In the spring of 2017, I trained Morgan to be a therapy dog. To get certified for the Doggie Brigade at Akron’s Children’s Hospital, I had to take a written test, and Morgan had to pass a test that consisted of sixteen different scenarios (e.g. walking by wheelchairs and gurneys without being distracted). Her evaluator said she was the only dog she ever evaluated that got a perfect score (Archive 2017.07.10). We volunteered to visit the kids in the hospital (Mahoning campus) for two years until Covid hit, and the program was suspended. When the Doggie Brigade started again, they put plexiglass between the kids and dogs. We decided not to get recertified since Morgan would not be able to interact with the kids. Read the Archive 2017.10.30, for a delightful story of one of Morgan’s therapy visits. After her therapy experience, she continued her work as a greeter at DOY but also would attend mortgage closings both at DOY and at the Commonwealth Title Company. No matter where she went, if they allowed dogs, Morgan was there making friends and enjoying the visit. She was featured twice in articles in the Catholic Exponent: October 19, 2018, and October 15, 2021, during DOY’s 50th anniversary (Archive 2021.10.14). She was also given a news segment on the WFMJ early morning news show where she showed off her greeting skills. Her skill included prancing out to the members and bringing out a toy. She never jumped on any member she was excited to see. Her compromise of not jumping was to sneak between your legs to get her backend scratched. No matter where Morgan went, she automatically brought a smile to everyone she met. She had this uncanny ability to make you feel happy. Morgan had several setbacks in her final years. In 2017, she had surgery on each of her back knees, one after the other. Each surgery took six weeks of rehab. She also had bladder surgery in April of 2023, to remove stones. That rehab took four weeks. Throughout her recoveries she worked hard and was eager to get back to normal. In fact, she had to be restrained many times so as to not reinjure herself. Then on September 3, 2024, she was diagnosed definitively at Akron Metropolitan hospital with acute leukemia, a very deadly and quick form of the disease. There was no treatment that could be given, and she was given only one to two weeks to live. After a five-day stay in the hospital, she was brought home. She fought the disease for the next four weeks and no one could believe she was ill. She was her usual happy self, wanting to visit her neighbor friends (Archive 2020.12.01). But two days after her final blood work, she succumbed to the disease. Morgan was an amazing dog and companion. On her many walks at COY Park, the Canfield Fairgrounds, and just around her neighborhood, she encountered many people all of which felt her happiness. Of course, all the DOY members that knew her also felt the love and joy of her presence. She touched so many people. Not having her with me leaves a heavy ache in my heart. Her loyalty and unconditional love will forever be missed. The Big Guy - Jim Bellavia
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