Sully the yellow lab may have only been the faithful companion and service dog of former President George H.W. Bush for the final six months of the man’s life, but his devotion was never in question.
He was born in 2016 and trained by America’s VetDogs , a charity organization that provides service dogs to veterans for free.
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Sully was assigned to his very important human in the summer of 2018.
In just a few months, the now Sully H.W. Bush aided the former president with everything from fetching items to answering the phone.
The very good boy was already gaining a following on social media, but it was a post on December 2, 2018 that cemented his place as a national treasure.
After the former president’s passing, Sully visited him as he laid in state. The image of him curled up before the flag-draped casket makes my dog-loving heart flutter even now.
Following the funeral, Sully joined the Facility Dog program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and as a Hospital Corpsman First Class, he visits injured veterans and their families throughout the facility.
As a special honor for 2020 Veteran’s Day, Sully was honored with a new bronze statue!
The statue will have a proud place in front of the America’s VetDogs headquarters in Smithtown, New York, where Sully was raised and trained.
The life-sized bronze statue was created by sculptor Susan Bahary, who has become renowned for her works depicting service dogs and their companions.
This is actually the second time Bahary has sculpted Sully.
Her previous piece stands tall at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas.
The unveiling wasn’t the only Veteran’s Day event on Sully’s schedule, though.
Please be advised that the waterworks may be turned on if you watch this video.
Today Show host Jenna Bush Hager and her children spent plenty of time with Sully in those last months of her grandfather’s life and though in-person meetings aren’t easy in 2020, she still managed to schedule a virtual family reunion.
Little Mila asking Sully, “Do you remember Great Gampy?” and the dog nodding is the best thing I’ve seen all month. (Sniff.)
h/t: PEOPLE
