DENVER — Every week, Ron Horn finds himself standing and greeting travelers at Denver International Airport's Jeppesen Terminal — with his furry friend by his side.
"I'm just a dope on the rope. She does all the work!" he joked.
He's talking about his 10-year-old Newfoundland Matilda. The duo is part of the Canine Airport Therapy Squad, or CATS for short.
"It's a great way to spend a couple of hours," Horn said. "And she loves it when she sees her vest come out of the drawer at home. She goes from 10 and a half years to 10 months — runs to the car because she knows exactly where she's going."
"Ron has been with the CATS program from the very beginning," said Karla Grahn, volunteer program manager at DEN. "He was in the first group that joined, and he was already in therapy animal work."
That work is on display, as Matilda and Ron move through the airport, comforting those who need it most.
"Matilda is one of those dogs that knows what you need, and she'll find the people that really need to say hi or just need some therapy work, right?" Grahn said. "Traveling can be stressful!"
For bringing endless comfort to frustrated travelers, Ron (and Matilda!) is being honored as this week's Everyday Hero.
Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.
