 Last Saturday, following the sudden and heartbreaking loss of Assistant Principal Andy Werhane, Assistant Superintendent Megan Johnson reached out to LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry for support. Andy, a beloved and respected educator, had served the Belvidere, Illinois school district for 17 years—first as a teacher at Belvidere High School and later as Assistant Principal at Washington Academy. His passing sent shockwaves through the community. Known as a passionate advocate for his students and an inspiration to fellow educators, Andy's impact was deeply personal to many. In response, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their handlers from Illinois and Wisconsin were deployed Monday to provide care and comfort to two schools grieving his loss—Washington Academy and Belvidere High School. At Washington Academy, where Andy most recently served, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Eunice (LCC Staff), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), and Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois) arrived early to sit with teachers and later with students. Their calm presence offered a source of strength and emotional grounding. Meanwhile, at Belvidere High School—where Andy began his career— LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Abednego (Immanuel - Crystal Lake, Illinois), Shadrach (Prince of Peace - Palatine, Illinois), and Rejoice (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin) supported staff who had known and worked alongside him for many years. The ministry teams embodied the quiet presence of Christ, reflecting His example of being with those who mourn. They sat. They listened. They prayed. They brought the comfort of being seen, heard, and loved. One touching story came from a young science teacher at Belvidere High School. She shared with Shadrach’s handler that she had once been Andy’s student—15 years ago—and credited him for inspiring her to pursue teaching. This was her first year in the classroom, and she had planned to write Andy a letter at year’s end to thank him. Instead, she spent nearly an hour with Shadrach and his handlers, enveloped in their gentle, healing presence. At Washington Academy, students found solace in Mary Comfort Dog. Her handler observed, “We saw students not only hugging Mary, but also hugging each other as a way to express their grief. Many tears were shed. Mary brought calm and comfort to hurting children. We were told Mr. Werhane often walked some of these very students to the bus at day’s end. He was truly a special, caring person.” Samson and his handler spent meaningful time with the grieving staff at Washington. “Many tears were shed,” the handler said. “But staff used the moment to teach students that it’s okay to be sad. One teacher told me, ‘Mr. Werhane was such a good human—a wonderful example of what a person should be. He had a huge impact on these kids and staff.’” As one quote so beautifully puts it, “Every life is a story. Every person is a book. When someone dies, a chapter of their story ends, but the story of their impact continues to inspire and live on.” Through the quiet ministry of Abednego, Eunice, Mary, Rejoice, Samson, and Shadrach, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams reminded all who grieved that Jesus walks with us through sorrow. His love never fails, and His presence never leaves. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 Comments are closed.
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