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Joey was admitted to Bristol-Meyer's Squibb Children's Hospital at RWJ in New Brunswick Friday for a serious episode of Crohn's Disease, his mother, Susan Ross, told Daily Voice.
Hodor — who was rescued by BCPR in Cliffside Park and adopted by Lisa Lombardo along with one other dog on Tuesday — made the difference.
"Joey has been in pain, he's been suffering and he's been depressed," said Ross of Freehold. "And then he gets hugs and kisses from these dogs and he lights up."
"I'm so overwhelmed and grateful to see my son smile for the first time in days."
Lombardo was contacted by a friend who works in rescue looking for a dog to visit Joey. Since Hodor was rescued from an abuse/neglect situation, Lombardo wasn't sure if he would even want to enter the hospital.
Without hesitation, though, Hodor walked through the revolving door into the hospital — and then into the elevator and Joey's room.
"I can't even put it into words. It's like you're just so grateful to these people," Ross said. "They don't even know me."
Joey has been mostly confined to a bed and hasn't been able to see any of his friends because no one under 16 is allowed in the hospital, his mom said. He hasn't been able to eat or drink since Friday, and he has to have everything in his stomach suctioned out.
"These dogs are everything to him," his mother said.
"It's not easy for him, but these dog owners are very special people."
EMAIL CLEVINE@DAILYVOICE.COM IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BRINGING YOUR DOG TO MEET JOEY.
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