When Anthony Lyons started feeling back pain at his grandparents' house, the pain would lead him to a shocking diagnosis. The 16-year-old had leukemia. The only thing that was making the teenager feel better? A Saint Bernard named Barney who visits him at the hospital.
"They bring you happiness while you're sad," Anthony told ABC of the therapy dogs. During the difficult time, it was the only thing that could bring a smile to his face. Mom began posting photos of her son on Facebook, beaming with his therapy dogs. Then her friend got an idea. Why not have folks send their positive thoughts along with photos of their dogs to cheer him up? It worked. The Facebook page "Photo Doggies for Anthony" began with just a few pictures of happy pups, and within days, there were 20 million photos from people all over the world — including Ellen DeGeneres. Anthony was elated.
"All these strangers are thinking of me and posting their pictures of their dogs just to make me happy," he says. It may seem like such a small gesture, but knowing how happy our dogs make us, imagine having 20 million smiling back at you.
"It started because of him, but everyone is getting so much joy out of it… It's just given us hope for the world again," said his mom Kristen.
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