Moment woman in coma for weeks reunites with dog after losing her limbs

A 21-year-old woman has had to endure a horrific few months, which saw her hospitalized for septic shock and placed in a coma, before having lifechanging amputations. But there was one thing that kept her fighting, and that was the thought of getting to reunite with her dog.

Jasmine Schultz, from Pennsylvania, was born with a genetic mutation which has caused paralysis of the stomach and even heart failure in the past, severely affecting her quality of life. But in May 2023, her health took a turn for the worse, as she told Newsweek that she “nearly lost [her] life due to septic shock and multi-system organ failure.”

Schultz was suffering heart and kidney failure, and she was also found to have fluid on her lungs, known as pulmonary edema. She had to be placed on dialysis and an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) which provides respiratory support, but doctors feared the worst. Her family was urged to say their goodbye because they didn’t think she would make it.

After two months in hospital, and four surgeries later to amputate her lower legs, hands and part of her right arm, Schultz was finally able to see her 12-year-old Chihuahua, Dutchess. Her family and physicians hoped the reunion would give her the continued motivation she desperately needed, but they had no idea just how emotional the reunion would be.

Schultz said: “I was so happy to see her, I almost cried. Seeing her over the phone wasn’t the same. We got to spend two to three hours together and then my family took her back home.

“Towards the end of my hospital stay, my nurses knew that she was such a good dog and they allowed her to come in every day. By that point, I’d been in the hospital for nearly six months and some nurses wouldn’t even realize she was there.”

The impact that dogs can have on hospital patients has long been discussed, as Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that they can provide support and reduce signs of distress. Patients who had animal-assisted therapy also had improved social behavior, pain levels, and all-round satisfaction with their hospital stay.

It’s thought that dogs can aid with some patients’ healing and their wellbeing during such a difficult time. So, it comes as no surprise that seeing Dutchess was such an important moment for Schultz after having her life turned upside down.

Though she is now home, the 21-year-old still has a long recovery ahead of her, but thankfully her family and Dutchess are by her side. Before her health deteriorated in May, she was enrolled in nursing school, which she still hopes to complete in the future.

She has documented her medical journey on social media (@hakulai), and on December 12 she posted a video of the moment she was “reunited with [her] dog after being in a coma for weeks and losing all 4 of [her] limbs.” The post has already been viewed more than 129,400 times and received 15,600 likes on TikTok. Alongside the emotional clip, she wrote that Dutchess was “the main reason” she continued to fight for her life.

When the dog was placed on the bed with Schultz, she immediately curled up in her arms and whimpered with joy. Dutchess’s love and affection meant so much to her owner, who noted that “she still loved me, even though I didn’t look the same.”

She told Newsweek: “Most people on social media thought our reunion was heartwarming. You can see in the video how happy she was to see me. She’s very old and quiet, and she’s afraid of pretty much everyone besides me. We typically spend every minute of the day together, as she will lay right by my side all day long.”

With more than 120 comments on the viral TikTok post already, many people have praised Schultz for her determination to keep fighting and highlighted the importance of dogs in our lives.

One comment reads: “This is amazing. She wanted you to know how loved you are.”

Another person responded: “She knew something was different, but she loved you regardless because she knows you’d love her too if she went through the same.”

“She will always be there for you, look at all that love, she’s beautiful,” wrote another TikTok user.

Do you have any amazing videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.