By: Sharon Aron Baron
Annagrace Myers was finishing a chemistry quiz at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when the fire alarm went off on Valentine’s Day, 2018.
The sound set off a chain of events that no one in the city of Parkland will ever forget.
She found out the next day that her cross country coach, Scott Beigel, had been killed while holding his classroom door open for students running away from the gunman.
After the massacre, Annagrace, 16, submitted a story about how adopting her dog, Auggie, from Justin Bartlett Animal Shelter in West Palm Beach helped her and her family move forward after the tragic shooting.
After receiving visits to the school from therapy dogs, she along with the other students discovered the dogs helped them emotionally.
“I had been asking my mom for a puppy for the longest time,” she said.
Her parents took her to the Justin Bartlett Animal Rescue shelter where she met Auggie.
“I met Auggie and I fell in love with her, right there,” said Annagrace. “She was kinda sitting in my lap and wouldn’t move for the longest time. I knew that I had to have her.”
She said that she wants to be with Auggie every minute of the day and helps her especially when she experiences nightmares.
For submitting her story, the Justin Bartlett Animal Rescue won $100,000 in the Petco 2018 Holiday Wishes award. and Annagrace and Auggie received a $1,000 shopping spree.
After cross country meet, which was emotional for her team because Beigel wasn’t there, she was crying, along with her mother Nuria, and Auggie came and joined them on the couch and snuggled with them.
“It’s getting easier to deal with because she’s always there.”
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