Whisper – A Hero’s Passing

This week, the world lost a genuine hero – a loving, compassionate soul whose selfless service touched the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

On Monday, January 22 at 1:00pm Mountain Time, Whisper the golden retriever peacefully left her body after a long illness that she fought bravely, with the support of her human companion Miranda Alcott.

It has been said that only a very few animals incarnate on this planet with individual souls. Whisper was certainly one of these rare creatures.

I feel blessed to have known her, to have touched her silky fur and looked into her fathomless brown eyes. I am likewise honored to count Miranda – a hearing-impaired animal communicator, intuitive and crisis counselor – as a true inspiration and a friend, through our connection at USM. She has shown me what is possible, even without perfect hearing.

Whisper nobly spent her life in service as an assistance dog for Miranda. Much as seeing-eye dogs help the sight-impaired to navigate the world, hearing service dogs are trained to communicate important sounds, such as the phone, a doorbell, fire alarms or someone calling aloud, to their hearing-impaired humans.

As if this wasn’t enough, Whisper was also a certified Crisis Intervention Canine for nearly 10 years. Together, she and Miranda volunteered as a Crisis Intervention Team at places like Ground Zero, Columbine and the Los Alamos fires, working with the emergency personnel who put their own mental, emotional and physical health at risk. They usually traveled at their own expense.

Two years ago, Whisper was diagnosed with an incurable disease and retired from service. The IHC Whisper Fund was established to help pay for veterinarian expenses, as well as to raise money for a replacement service dog. Assistance training facilities have waiting lists of up to five years, and all fees must be funded in advance before a recipient can be paired with a new canine companion. Training itself takes 12-18 months.

With Whisper’s passing, the need to raise funds is greater than ever, if Miranda is to continue serving our country during acute crises. Please consider making a generous tax-deductible donation to the Whisper Fund in honor of Whisper or in memory of your own beloved animal companions. You can help train a new hero.

No doubt Whisper is now standing guard at the Rainbow Bridge, volunteering her assistance to anyone who needs it.

Rest in Peace, dear friend.