Teaching Grief to Heel: A Family, a Dog, and a Mountain of Bears

Prayer Bears & Paw Prints: Mozzie’s Mission to Mend Broken Hearts

Published by Dogs and Their Humans™

North Richland Hills, Texas—May 28, 2025

Three years ago, a routine walk to the apartment mailboxes shattered the Randall family’s world when a car backing up fatally struck two-year-old Gideon. In the stunned silence that followed, a four-month-old German-shepherd/Lab/cattle-dog mix named Mozzie planted himself beside the grieving family—and never budged.

May 23 marked "three years of Gideon in heaven," and Brittany, Gideon's mom, joined her family, friends, and neighbors to honor his memory by donating 904 teddy bears to the hospital staff at Cook's Children's Hospital—one for every night they have missed him since the accident, says Gideon's aunt and Mozzie's human, Mikkaela Randall, 25. "Giving back softens the day, but it still hurts," she adds. "Mozzie keeps the hurt from swallowing us."

Today, we are taking the time to interview Mozzie about that tragic event and his impact on the family.

The Day Everything Changed

Richard: Mozzie, good to see you again. First things first—age check?

Mozzie: (Offers a paw with textbook politeness) Three years, four months, sir. I was the tiniest sprout in an accidental litter. My first humans called me the runt. My early days were a bit rough. My dog mom had to have an emergency C-section to bring us into the world. But fate had plans for me. I needed a new home, and that's when Mikkaela found me. She named me after a character from her favorite TV show, "White Collar." Pretty fitting, I'd say, since I'm quite the charmer.

Richard: Since our last chat, May 23 has rolled around for the third time. You arrived just weeks before Gideon's accident. What do you remember?

Mozzie: (Ears droop) We were getting the mail at the apartment complex. I was only four months old and having fun with my new family when suddenly, a car backed up over my little human buddy, Gideon. It was... devastating. He left us that day.

Richard: Oh, Mozzie!

Mozzie: I remember staying close to Gideon, feeling all the emotions—the confusion, the pain. I didn't fully understand, but I knew my human family was hurting. I wanted to help, but I was just a pup. 

Richard: And Gideon was only two years old?

Mozzie: He was just a pup, like me. For a while, I acted out more than usual. Maybe I was trying to process everything in my own way. But then, something extraordinary happened. Mikkaela and I began training classes together at PetSmart. It became our special time. We learned, played, and healed together. She says I saved her, but really, we saved each other.

From Runt to Rock

Richard: That's beautiful, Mozzie. How has your relationship with Mikkaela changed since then?

Mozzie: We're inseparable now. She understands me, and I understand her. I make sure she gets outside, even when she doesn't want to. We go on walks and play hide and seek—I'm a pro at that game, especially with kids. I've learned to be her protector and comforter. I think Gideon would want that. 

Richard: How's Gideon's mom, your other human?

Mozzie: She still sometimes cries in the grocery aisle, but she also laughs louder now.

Prayer Bears: Gideon’s Soft-Fur Deputies

Richard: Brittany’s teddy bear project expanded from 27 plushies in the first year to 904 this year. That's impressive.

Mozzie: Kids love something to hug. Bears can't fetch, but they fit in hospital beds where dogs can't go. Generosity wags two tails at once—the giver's and the receiver's. I consider them my soft-fur deputies.

Richard: Moving on, I remember you shredded three pillows—one being a MyPillow—and then tried to hide the fluff from Mikkaela. Was that out of guilt or strategy?

Mozzie: Both. I call it "stuffing amnesia." If she can't see the snowstorm, perhaps it never happened.

Richard: That’s true. Any other pillows?

Mozzie: Only one—and I provided full restitution in cuddles. Quality assurance testing, you know.

Life Lessons

Richard: Describe your ideal day now.

Mozzie: After everything we've been through, I want to make sure my family smiles every day—whether it's by being silly, offering a cuddle, or just being there when they need me.

Richard: What's the most challenging part of living with a grieving human?

Mozzie: Some days Mikkaela can't teach me new cues, and I can't fetch her laughter. We give each other grace — then take a walk.

Richard: If another family experiencing sudden loss sought advice, what would you say?

Mozzie: I'd say, hold on to each other. Healing takes time, but the journey becomes a little easier with love and companionship. Adopt patience, not just a pet. Puppies reflect chaos before they embrace calm, and sometimes, comfort comes from unexpected places—a wagging tail, a wet nose, a shared moment of quiet understanding. Gideon may not be here in the way we wish, but his spirit guides us.

Five-Year Vision

Richard: Any final thoughts? Where do you envision yourself in five years?

Mozzie: With more gray whiskers and perhaps a therapy dog vest, visiting kids who need hope. Maybe handing out bears! Grief never leaves; it just learns to walk nicely on a leash. However, we can teach it to heel.