Mollie gets to sniff her owner Ryan Jessen before his life support is turned off.
Mollie gets to sniff her owner Ryan Jessen before his life support is turned off.
This is the heartbreaking moment a devoted dog said a final goodbye to her dying owner. Last month Ryan Jessen, from California, thought he had a migraine but was hospitalised with a ventricular brain haemorrhage's and did not recover.
His loved ones gathered in his hospital room to say their final goodbyes to him on November 30.
Hospital staff agreed to let his beloved pet boxer dog Mollie bid him farewell.
Ryan Jessen's parents brought his dog to say goodbye.
The emotional moment was captured on video and has since been shared on Facebook where it has so far touched the hearts of hundreds thousands of people.
"The hospital did the sweetest thing for us and allowed us to bring my brother's dog in to 'say goodbye' so she'd know why her human never came home," his sister, Michelle Jessen, wrote in a Facebook post on December 1.
"If you knew my brother, he really loved his sweet dog."
Ryan Jessen, 33, thought he had a migraine but it was a brain haemorrhage from which he did not recover. He is pictured here with Mollie. Photo / Facebook
Tail between her legs and ears pinned down an upset looking Mollie is seen desperately sniffing her dying owner when she is lifted onto his hospital bed.
The video has since been viewed more than eight million times and has been shared more than 80,000 times.
The Facebook post has been flooded with an outpouring of support from well-wishers. "THANK YOU to everybody for the outpouring of support, but I won't be responding anymore," Michelle Jessen wrote.
Michelle Jessen says her final goodbye to her brother Michael. His organs were donated to help others lives. Photo / Facebook
"We are sincerely touched and humbled by others' stories, their sharing in our sadness and the kindness of so many people.
"Don't worry about the dog! We're keeping her!!! She's part of the family."
A photo of Mollie was later shared by Ryan's mother showing the dog lying on a couch.
"Mollie will miss her doggy daddy," his mother Laurie Ann Hickenlooper Jessen wrote.
Michelle Jessen assured people that despite her owner's death, Mollie was staying with them as she's 'part of the family'. Photo / Facebook
Miss Jessen added that doctors think her brother's brain haemorrhage was brought on by high blood pressure, with speculation that his "frequent consumption of energy drinks" may have contributed.
His organs were donated and his sister noted on December 1 that a 17-year-old from California, whose birthday is on Christmas day, received her brother's heart.
"As sad as it is to lose Ryan, we know his heart is going to bring so much joy to the family of the recipient," she wrote.
"I wish Ryan could know what a difference his heart will make for that young man."
His mother added that the family were "grateful" for all the support they had received.
