Adorable Cat Named Sweet Potato Helped His Grandpa Get Through Difficult Cancer Treatments
Animals are incredible creatures. When times are tough, they can prove to be our greatest source of comfort.
John Nugent was never a "cat person," but he soon changed his mind when his daughter Kelly's cat, Sweet Potato, entered his life. John was going through a difficult time, undergoing treatment for bone marrow cancer.
Kelly decided to move from her home in Miami to be with her father in New York so that she could support him. Of course, Sweet Potato came too, along with Kelly's other cat, Jelly Donut.
Kelly knew that moving closer to her dad during this challenging time would be helpful to John, both mentally and physically. The father and daughter have always had a very close bond.
However, what Kelly didn't realize was that Sweet Potato would end up playing an integral role in her dad's recovery. "As soon as we got there and Sweet Potato acclimated, he became a madman for my dad," Kelly said.
It's not uncommon for an animal to sense when a human is sick or in need of comfort.
"He would not leave his side, and still, to this day, they’re just attached at the hip," Kelly explained.
"It’s just the sweetest thing you could ever see because I know Sweet Potato can sense something's wrong and that he’s needed. So he kind of just stepped up to the plate and was like, ‘This is my job now; I’m gonna help heal you,'" Kelly said.
"It’s like he knew," she said.
Even though Sweet Potato is not technically a service animal, it seems he decided that was the role he was going to play. He was going to help John get better.
Kelly started sharing videos and photos of John and Sweet Potato on her TikTok. Naturally, the posts went viral, and the world fell in love with the pair and their adorable bromance.
"When I read him all the comments, it was so cool for him to see that so many random people were rooting for him," Kelly said of her dad's reaction. John's health has been improving steadily, and his pain has eased significantly.
John isn't out of the woods entirely, but he is getting stronger every day.
"I really think the emotional support of Sweet Potato, the cuddles, and just being there - it’s had a huge impact on him," Kelly said.
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