Meet Miriam, the Kingfisher therapy dog sent to comfort families after Uvalde shooting

Jessie Christopher Smith, Oklahoman
·3 min read
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A Lutheran church in Kingfisher sent a ministry dog and a crisis response team to comfort grieving families in Uvalde, Texas, after an elementary school shooting left 19 children and two teachers dead.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church, a Kingfisher affiliate of Lutheran Church Charities, dispatched its own team Tuesday to Uvalde as part of the church network's broader outreach efforts with K-9 Comfort Dog Ministries.

Central to that Kingfisher team is a golden retriever named Miriam, who since eight weeks old underwent 2,000 hours of training to provide psychological comfort to people in crisis. The rest of the K-9 Comfort team includes "top dog" handler Keith Leimbach, Denise Jech, J. Juan Jech, Heather McCarty, Pastor Tim McCarty, and Susan Post, among others.

'It shouldn't have happened here': Before Texas shooting, Uvalde was a place for families, friendship

Golden retriever Miriam, a therapy dog with Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Kingfisher, and her handler, Keith Leimbach, kneel in the grass, interacting with a young boy Thursday in Uvalde, Texas.
Golden retriever Miriam, a therapy dog with Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Kingfisher, and her handler, Keith Leimbach, kneel in the grass, interacting with a young boy Thursday in Uvalde, Texas.

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"For our handlers to be in the midst of people who are grieving, it's really rewarding but challenging work," said Deb Baran, director of communications and media relations for Lutheran Church Charities. "I even got the heads-up from our coordinator that one of our team members was talking with someone who was face-to-face with the shooter and survived. It's really tough and really emotional, but the work is really necessary."

Seven additional K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams, also centered around golden retrievers, were deployed within the network, including from churches in Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; Plano, Texas; Wichita Falls, Texas; and Fort Collins, Colorado.

The K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Teams for Lutheran Church Charities met with grieving community members in the town square of Uvalde, Texas. The crosses, symbolizing and honoring the lives of the victims, were part of the "Hearts of Mercy and Compassion" ministry outreach by the teams.
The K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Teams for Lutheran Church Charities met with grieving community members in the town square of Uvalde, Texas. The crosses, symbolizing and honoring the lives of the victims, were part of the "Hearts of Mercy and Compassion" ministry outreach by the teams.

As with Miriam ― who shares a name with the sister of Moses ― several of the dogs were named after Biblical characters or themes, such as Gabriel, Elijah and Joy.

More: Oklahoma parents and teachers heartbroken and frustrated by Uvalde school shooting

Thursday, the eight comfort ministry teams met in the town square of Uvalde and organized a mission called "Hearts of Mercy and Compassion." After setting up crosses in honor of the victims, the teams wrote the name of each victim and a Bible verse on the crosses.

The teams stayed in the town square throughout the day, meeting with members of the community who came by and searched for the names of their loved ones. The Lutheran church members listened to their stories, shared their tears and offered their prayers.

A golden retriever comforts a young girl in the town square of Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday. The town had been the site of a horrific mass shooting just days before at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers were killed.
A golden retriever comforts a young girl in the town square of Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday. The town had been the site of a horrific mass shooting just days before at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers were killed.

"K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need," said Tim Hetzner, CEO and president of Lutheran Church Charities. "We know that comfort is needed to help this shocked and devastated community and the first responders who serve them."

Each of the K-9 comfort ministry dogs was outfitted with a vest and a Bible verse. Miriam's is Exodus 4:8, taken from the miraculous "burning bush" moment in the Old Testament when God tells the prophet Moses, "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second."

"With Miriam, it's all about being present," Baran said. "We're not there to convert people. That's not what we do. We're there to listen, to love and to be present for people, in good times and bad."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Uvalde families comforted by Kingfisher Lutheran church therapy dog