“A match made in heaven” is a phrase that is often used quite loosely. But when you meet this boy and his dog, you’d know it’s the most perfect way to describe their relationship.
Paxton Williams, 7, was born prematurely and developed an infection in his right leg that eventually stopped its growth.
Although it was a difficult decision, his parents chose to have the affected leg amputated when he was four years old. Now, the kid uses a prosthetic to help him walk.
Recently, this kid from Minnesota welcomed someone special in his life—Marvel, a dog born without her front right paw.
Barb Felt, the owner of Rolling Oaks Garden, was instrumental in bringing these two best friends together.
Her farm specializes in breeding and raising high-pedigree golden retrievers, and when a former client told her about Paxton and his limb difference, she thought that the boy would be a perfect match for Marvel.
It all began when Barb asked their Facebook and Instagram followers for name ideas for the dog.
“We didn’t know what to name her and we weren’t sure how long we would keep her, if she would go to a foster home for training or if we would do the training or if we would match her with a family,” Barb said.
Her former client, who has one of their golden retrievers and Paxton’s occupational therapist, reached out to her to tell him about the boy.
Marvel was quite the extraordinary pup, not only because of her missing front right paw but also because she was born in a litter of 11 females. Barb said that has never happened on the farm before.
“It was truly a special litter, so we knew right away Marvel is going to have a very special purpose in life,” she said.
When they first posted about Marvel on their social media accounts, the farm had received many inquiries from people hoping to adopt her. However, Barb wanted to give Marvel away to someone who was like her.
Barb had previously seen a video of a young girl who had a prosthetic limb and had recently adopted a dog born without a paw. Seeing the joy that the little puppy gave to that girl, Barb hoped to find a kid with a limb difference like Marvel.
Thankfully, her former client was quick to tell her about Paxton. Barb then got in touch with Blaine Williams, the boy’s father, and the family agreed to meet the dog.
“We spoke and they came and they met Marvel, Barb recalled. “At that time we hadn’t really named Marvel yet. Marvel was our favorite name and we asked if they (the Williams) like that name because of course if she was going to be their puppy, we wanted Paxton to like the name. He’s a big fan of the Avengers so he loved the name.”
When Marvel and the Williams family met, it became clear that they were a perfect match.
The adoption process took about three weeks as the pup needed to undergo a final checkup before they could take her home.
Now, the special puppy is adjusting well to her new life. Stephanie Williams, Paxton’s mom, said that Marvel has already made a difference in how her son talks about his own story with other people.
“It gives him the opportunity to tell the kids, ‘Oh she’s missing a paw, she’s like me,’ and like it gives him that voice, too, to advocate for himself,” she said.
Knowing she had done right, Barb couldn’t be happier with her decision.
“Like I said previously, a match made in heaven,” she said. “They’re a great family. We just feel so fortunate to be a part of this for them.”
Paxton and Marvel are lucky to be growing up alongside each other. Surely, they will enjoy many adventures in the years to come!
Wednesday 23rd of June 2021
What a happy ending to this story about a young boy and a puppy - it looks like their friendship was meant to be 😊 🌟🌟 ❤️