Homeless Man’s Dying Wish to See Dog
Kevin McClain spent his last two days at the hospice with his beloved dog, Yurt
Kevin McClain was homeless, living out of his car in Cedar Rapids with his dog, Yurt, when he became ill with lung cancer.
Paramedics had to rush him to the hospital. Yurt couldn’t come with him, so the dog was taken to a local shelter.
McClain’s cancer was untreatable and Yurt’s future was uncertain, too. But when he told one of the paramedics, Jan Erceg, that he had a dog, Erceg, who also volunteers at the shelter, decided to help.
“He said her name is Yurt and at that moment, that was my Aha! moment,” she said.
McClain kept asking to see her. It was his dying wish. So the hospice home, ambulance service and shelter came together to make it happen.
“And the moment he opened those eyes and saw that dog there was instant recognition and with Yurtie, she licked his arms, she licked his face,” Erceg said.
Two days later, McClain passed away.
Erceg decided to help promote Yurt for adoption and today she has a new home with Kate and Eric Ungs.
“She is full of energy and just brings so much love and energy into the home,” Kate said.
“She’s our family and we’re her family, just a tight knit group,” Eric added.
See the video here.