Service dogs can serve many roles in our lives- caretaker, protector and best friend are to name a few.
But for Bride Valerie Parrott, her 3-year-old yellow lab served a very important role in her life- helping her get through her wedding day.
For many brides-to-be, it is normal to feel anxious or nervous before the big day. But Valerie’s concerns run much deeper than that as she suffers from anxiety and has frequent migraines that affect her daily life. Two years ago, Valerie from Sioux Falls, South Dakota was matched with Bella, who acts as her service dog and helps her cope with her anxiety.
Parrott writes on her blog, The [Service] Dog in the Room:
“Bella’s medical alert title refers to her ability to predict and inform me of different type of body changes such as rapid heart beat that may lead to more serious issues such as panic attacks, dizzy spells and other issues involved with my medical condition.”
Naturally as her wedding approached, Valerie’s anxiety worsened. “A lot of girls experience their first panic attack leading up to weddings,” she blogged. “A lot of girls with these disorders double their number of normal panic attacks.”
But luckily for Parrott, her loyal dog was right by her side as it came time to walk down the aisle.
Photographer and owner of Mad Photo & Design, Maddie Peschong was there to capture every touching moment of the bride and her groom, Andrew Parrott’s big day, and Bella was right by Valerie’s side.
Bella would calm Parrott by licking her hands and leaning against her.
And dressed in a pink tutu, Bella even had her own special moment in the wedding as she served as the flower girl.
And then got to walk Valerie down the aisle.
“It is hard to sum up my relationship with Bella,” said Parrott. “She has given my life back to me. Without her, I have no clue where I would be in life.”
Please SHARE this inspiring story in honor of Bella and all the amazing service dogs out there!
[Featured Image Credit: Mad Photo and Design]