This is a very personal story for me. The man is one of my very dearest friends and I am grateful to have this forum to express my deepest gratitude and to share this heroism with you.

Monday, September 22nd, 2008, my day off, I was outside talking with house painters. I didn't hear my phone ring. When I came in I saw I had a message left at 4:15 PM. It was now 5:00 PM. It was Dr. Penny Dowden from Paw Patch. Paw Patch is right next door to my store, City Dogs Grocery. We have become friends. I thought nothing of her calling until I heard her message. I had referred the Paw Patch to my friend G.T. She said that she had called G.T. to give him the lab results for his newly adopted dog, Rosie. G. T. had answered the phone but she said he was very incoherent. As she tried to talk to him she knew something was wrong. Anyone else might have thought him inebriated. She pursued, asking him if he was alright, could she call someone for him, was he still there, could he hear her? His response was a continuous "umm". It was noted in his file my referral. She went on to say that I might want to go over and check on him. I threw down the phone, yelled at my husband Dennis to get going, we had an emergency. We jumped in the car and drove over to Broad Ripple where G.T. lives. As we turned on to his street I could see the flashing lights of the ambulance and the other vehicle from Broad Ripple Rescue Squad, Station # 32. The stretcher was out and ready in the yard. My heart sank. I ran in the house and saw G.T. white as a ghost being fed a sandwich. G.T. is a serious diabetic who unfortunately is a poor manager of his disease and diet. I asked Kathy Gillette and Scott Denham, responders on the scene, how they were notified and they said Rick Adams, the vet technician from Paw Patch had called them. When Dr. Dowden was unable to reach me the staff at Paw Patch went into action. Rick volunteered to go over and check on Mr. T. When he arrived no one came to the door and it was locked. Rosie was barking. He went around to the back door and came in. Rosie led him to G.T. who was passed out with the phone still in his hand. Rick said he pried the phone away, looked around and saw a diabetic test kit on the table and called 911 and told them of a possible diabetic coma. After they arrived Rick left. We came in and took it from there. I was able to tell the responders from Wishard what drugs he was on and where his wife was. She was out of town overseeing the birth of a new grandchild and babysitting the others while the new mom was in the hospital. She wouldn't be returning for two more days. What she would have come home to! He refused to go to the hospital so we were told to keep an eye on him, make sure he had a good meal and not let him take insulin that night as he was now boosted and it would be too much. We took him home with us and fed him. We sat at the table and discussed how grateful we were at the quick thinking and quick action of Dr. Penny Dowden and Rick Adams. If it hadn't been for these two special people G.T. would not have seen that new grandson four days later. As for Rosie his dog, she's pretty grateful too. She had been taken next door to the neighbors and when she returned she was pretty excited. When G.T. went out to say goodbye to all the responders Rosie paced around looking for him. Clearly she has found a loving home and has bonded to G.T.

G.T. and I wish to give our special thanks to Paw Patch's Dr. Penny Dowden and Rick Adams, Station #32's Kathy Gillette and Scott Denham and the team from Wishard, who unfortunately I didn't get their names. That duo says they do a diabetic run every day. It's all in a day's work. Not so for the staff of Paw Patch. As for Rick, he and the staff can also tell you of the time he saved a lady out on Kessler and College at their former location. That's another story. What a man!

Rosie says thank you too. Pets make you smile.