A TikTok video of a cancer-stricken man’s dog visiting him while he was being treated for his lymphoma last year has received more than 1 million views.
Zach Stroup, 27, has been determined to live his life to the fullest, though lymphoma in his central nervous system has left him partially disabled.
“Zach was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 24,” his wife, Madison, told Newsweek. “He was then diagnosed again at the age of 25 in his brain and spinal cord. This essentially caused him to become paralyzed from the waist down. He was able to regain most mobility but is still recovering from all the chemotherapy and surgeries.”
Courtesy of Madison Stroup
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare cancer that forms in the lymphatic system, a network of thin tubes and lymph nodes that run throughout the body, supporting the immune system.
A caption across the video reads: “My husband’s one wish while being in the hospital was seeing his dog.” The clip shows Brody the golden retriever wagging his tail in joy at a very frail Zach who appears seated in a wheelchair. The pair have two golden retrievers and describe themselves as “big dog lovers.”
“My husband is an incredible person. He is so resilient and positive,” Madison said. “I truly believe the strength and positivity he had is the reason why he is here with us today. He never gave up on himself or on me.”
Zach had been in hospital for a total of eight months at the time of the video. Madison said he had been allowed home only on a few rare occasions during that time. Still, he managed to build a close bond with his golden-retriever puppies, with Brody typically sleeping beside him all day.
Despite the pain Zach’s been through, the Stroups have not once wavered from their desire to draw attention to cancer in the younger population. Their joint TikTok account, @The_Stroups, has amassed over 175,000 followers since it was launched in September last year to document Zach’s health journey.
The couple’s social-media accounts, mostly managed by Madison, shed a light on what everyday life is like for them. This includes posts about their 2022 engagement while Zach was in remission; how he travels with his partial paralysis; and how he has continued to work while being treated in hospital.
“It was extremely difficult for him to have any normalcy in the hospital,” Madison explained. “When Zach had his bone-marrow transplant, he had been away from our dogs for over two months, so I planned to surprise him with Brody.
“I talked to his nurses and they let him go outside to get some fresh air. Zach had no idea that my dad would be bringing one of our dogs to the hospital and was so happy to just be outside,” she added.
Madison described the moment when Brody and Zach reunited as being an extremely happy one. She said: “They were both so happy. Brody being a puppy knew Zach was sick and was so gentle and loving towards him, and Zach needed to see Brody to give him a reason to keep fighting so that he could get back home to be with his puppies.
“Zach and Brody’s relationship is unbreakable. It gave him strength to keep going,” Madison added.
Courtesy of Madison Stroup
Hundreds of TikTok users left comments, praising Zach for his strength and Brody for his compassion.
“Now I’m crying, golden’s are angels,” one user wrote. “Our pets are our children. His dog helps him in the healing process,” another added.
A different user shared their own tragic story: “That was my husband’s wish as well, so he came home, spent the evening with his dog by his side, then died.”
The couple’s determination to raise awareness for Zach’s condition has even led to him gracing a billboard at Times Square this year. It alerted passersby to the fact that 50 percent of adults will get cancer at least once in their lifetime.
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