A photo provided by Rich Powers shows his dog Spencer, left, with Penny, the other golden retriever in the Powers household, in North Kingston, R.I., in 2020.
Spencer went to work at local schools, colleges, assisted living facilities and hospitals. Powers wanted to make sure that Spencer wasn’t only there to help ease bad news — a tragedy, a death, dreaded final exams — so they began making regular visits. “Just to celebrate a Tuesday,” he said. When Penny needed surgery, he went to the animal hospital and looked at Dorrey Powers as if to say, “Are you really OK with this?” He joined Penny for her physical therapy, and comforted her when she was anxious, pressing his nose against hers.
Spencer went to the course in 2020 with his flag even though no one was there. He went in 2021 too, on what would have been Boston Marathon Monday, despite the race having been postponed because of the pandemic. He returned for the race’s triumphant running on Oct. 11, 2021.
He was the best boy