USA Gymnastics therapy dog goes viral after Suni Lee writes "Thanks for the beacon."
U.S. gymnasts typically experience a lot of stress in their sporting careers, but perhaps none greater than the Olympic Trials.
To help ease the athletes' nerves, the team hired the cutest therapy dog, a young golden retriever named Beacon.
Beacon participated in last week's trials, and Suni Lee (who qualified for the U.S. team at the Paris Olympics) and the other gymnasts played and cuddled with him.
The adorable pup is now going viral after Lee posted a photo of her bonding with Beacon at the trials and added the caption, "Thanks Beacon."
The certified "Goodest Boy" dog was then recognized by @WeRateDogs on Instagram, scoring 14/10.
"Here's Beacon, a 4-year-old therapy dog who, according to ESPN, is one of USA Gymnastics' busiest volunteers. He has participated in important competitions like the recent Olympic Trials with a certificate that literally says "Goodest Boy." His job is to comfort the athletes and coaches, rubbing their bellies and gently licking their faces."
Beacon handler Tracy Callahan Molnar is a former gymnast and coach herself, so she knows how difficult the sport can be.
"I watch the women, and if they see the beacon and they're alive, I'll walk toward them," Callahan-Mollner told ESPN about approaching the athletes with the beacon.
"Tonight, some of them called him over or came to him on their own.
The important thing to remember is that Beacon senses when someone is stressed or overwhelmed and jumps in to help them. 'He makes a sudden change without even seeing who it is,' his handler added. 'He senses stress and goes right to the person.'
Callahan Molnar said that Beacon absorbs so much energy from the athletes that he is exhausted after a day of stress relief. Still, Beacon did a really, really great job of being there throughout the trials, providing comfort to those who needed it.
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