I’m a very special dog. I belong to a very special family. I came to be with them on March 8, 2020. I was bought to help a 3rd grade class deal with the loss of their good friend Santiago. Even though I am a dog,everybody calls me a bear so that’s the name they gave me, BEAR.I sat in Santiago’s seat and his classmates would stop to say Hi everyday and talk to me whenever they needed to. Not soon afterwards, the schools all over the country were closed due to a pandemic called Covid-19 so I was taken home to be with my family.
I wear a red tshirt with Santiago Strong written on it and it wasn’t long before I started to go with my dad on all his plane trips. I’ve been to big cities like New York, Atlanta, Georgia, and Wisconsin. At the airport or on the plane people would also stop to say Hi or ask about my presence. I even got a pair of wings from one of the stewardess. I wear it proudly on my red shirt. I go to soccer games and softball games and everybody can’t wait to see me. All the kids know that I’m sitting on the sideline cheering them on. I bring my own seat so that I am comfortable and everybody can see me.
On Halloween I go Trick or Treating with my little sister Arianna, I wear the coolest costumes. I even go to the beach to visit my grandparents. I like sitting on the sand watching Arianna play in the water. Arianna is very special to me, sometimes she even gets to carry me around. I'm a big dog but I’m not heavy. Arianna is my sister, my very first friend. Brothers and sisters are very special to all of us. They will always be there when we need them, even when sometimes you can’t see them.
I love Arianna very much.
I have a new adventure! I am the mascot for the Santiago Strong Foundation. It was formed to help other families like mine who need help when their kids are really sick. We want to make sure their families can stay together during treatment. I can’t wait to see all the new people I will meet and all the new places I will go to. It’s all about helping others.
See you soon,
The Dog named Bear