Although he’d had heart surgery only three days before he got the call from Utah Valley University’s wellness program—following Charlie Kirk’s death—Mike Carlson knew what he had to do. After all, when folks discovered that Carlson—the CEO of Golden Healers, a non-profit dog therapy organization—needed lifesaving surgery, they’d raised $45,000 to defray the cost.

Now, Carlson said, it was his turn to bring a sense of calm and security to students on the campus where the unspeakable tragedy had occurred. “I knew I needed to get better quick and get moving so that I could help the students and staff as a way to give back,” he said. “The dogs are a healing power and influence in my life, and I knew they could do that for others.”

Understandably, his first destination—with dogs Ava, Ace, Kat, Doris, Oscar and Hal in tow—was the concourse near where the shooting had occurred. Before long, Carlson discovered that the need was so great, he and his four-legged companions were hosting daily sessions multiple times a week. The dogs offered their special brand of comfort to grieving and fearful students in groups of up to 50 at a time. And obtaining that comfort couldn’t have been simpler—all were welcome to stop, sit, cuddle or pet one of the dogs.

“I didn’t feel safe enough to come back until I heard that there were dogs,” recalled student Rachel Jensen. “That made me feel comfortable going back.” Sophomore Elle Preston shared that one of the dogs “actually looks like one of my old dogs, so it was almost a little bit of closure. It was nice to hold the dog and give it some love.”

Carlson recalled that as another student petted the soft, calming fur of a golden retriever, he shared: “I really needed this. I’ve been afraid to return to school.” “There were a lot of emotions, smiles and lots of tears,” Carlson said, while admitting some of those tears were his own.

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