Bride Valerie Parrott of Sioux Falls, South Dakota suffers from panic disorders, anxiety and migraines; thus, she has a service dog named Bella who alerts her every time she is about to undergo an attack.
Bella helps Valerie calm down, allowing the latter to function well and get back to work or enjoy the activities she loved.
Valerie’s wedding was an exciting event; naturally, the busy bride experienced some wedding jitters and anxiety.
Sensing what was about to happen, Bella went to Valerie for a cuddle.
The simple yet touching moment was captured on camera by the wedding photographer, Maddie Peschong of Mad Photo and Design.
Touched by the bride’s moment with her medical alert dog, Maddie posted the photo on Reddit and shared on her Facebook page.
Much to their surprise, the photo went viral within a couple of hours!
(Photo: Maddie Peschong/MAD Photo & Design)
She revealed, “On Thursday, I got a message from a friend that said the photo had been posted on Reddit and was #4 at the time. I thought that was a really big deal and really cool. Texted Val. We got really excited. Within an hour or so, we got media inquiries from all over the United States.”
“I never thought it would be this big. When I posted it, I thought this is a sweet photo of a girl and her dog. I thought ‘Val needs to see this’. I was amazed by the amount of attention it got from friends and family. I thought it was cool my grandma liked it so much let alone Mashable.com,” added Maddie.
Shocked that the photo went viral, Maddie immediately told Valerie who was quite delighted that this simple moment has touched many people across the country.
Considering that it was but a natural moment for her and the service dog, Valerie was glad to have made a difference in the community.
Today, Valerie was able to share awareness about service dogs who were previously just associated with blind people but are now helping those who do not have a visible disability or medical problem.
Valerie revealed, “My life wouldn’t be the same without her. With Bella, and because of our partnership, I have been able to live my life to the fullest that I normally wouldn’t have been able to have done.”
The groom was not part of the picture but we’re pretty sure he was just as glad as his bride that the photo went viral and that there’s a lovely dog who has made his bride’s life a wonderful one.
