Friday’s just aren’t going to be the same at Kona Community Hospital.
Mordy, a golden retriever who gave scores of patients comfort for nearly a decade, died Thursday morning, hospital spokeswoman Judy Donovan said Saturday. Owned by Ernie and Zee Knapp of Kailua-Kona, he was 14.
The hospital’s lone certified pet therapy dog completed a 50-hour Delta Society Pet Partners program in 2004. The national nonprofit registers handlers of multiple species, as well as trains and screens animal/handler teams. After joining the Orange County, Calif., pet therapy program, Mordy’s first assignment was at Children’s Hospital in California, where he interacted with babies. The keiki often pulled on his ears, poked his nose and climbed on his soft golden-red fur when he would lie down.
In 2006, the Knapps moved to Kona and joined the Kona Community Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer Services Pet Therapy Program. Every Friday since, Mordy and Ernie Knapp made their rounds through the Kealakekua facility.
Hundreds of patients, as well as employees, experienced the affection and comfort only a pet therapy dog such as Mordy could provide. According to studies published by the National Institutes of Health, a therapy dog has a positive effect on patients’ pain level and satisfaction with their hospital stay following total joint replacement and fibromyalgia patients spending time with a therapy dog instead of in an outpatient waiting area at a pain management facility reported significant improvement in pain, mood and other measures of distress.
“The best thing about making daily rounds was that Mordy was seeing patients and people, who have had animals in their lives, and have them forget why they were in the hospital. It was a pleasure seeing Mordy make people happy,” Ernie Knapp said in a statement released by Donovan. The couple did not respond for further comment as of press time.
Mordy’s name was short for Mordechai, the guardian of Queen Esther from the Book of Esther in the Old Testament, according to a baseball card Ernie Knapp would hand out for Mordy. The name represents a “strong and caring person,” it reads.
“This is Mordy,” reads the card, which features stats, background information and other facts — such as his favorite activity was swimming in the ocean and playing with green sea turtles. “He is a dog who loves people. His eyes and smile grow with the more love he gets.”
Mordy also was well-known in the community. He and his partner, Ernie Knapp, also volunteered at Kona Adult Day Care Center and Head Start, in addition to making appearances at numerous parades and festivals through the years. The large, yet docile dog even participated in some Ironman triathlon events.
“We’re saddened by the loss of Mordy,” Donovan said. “Everyone at KCH is so grateful for his years of loving service to our patients and the community.”
Email Chelsea Jensen at cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com.
