Aurora Massacre Victims — Splitting $5 Million in Donations
The families of the 12 people killed in the Aurora shooting massacre — along with several people who suffered permanent injuries in the attack — will split the majority of the $5 million in donations raised to assist the victims of the attack. A…
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Inside Dying Dog’s Miraculous Recovery After Viral Photo Sparked $25,000 Of Donations
By Debbie Emery – Radar Reporter
John Unger was preparing to make the gut-wrenching decision to say goodbye to his most loyal companion of nearly 20 years, when a single photograph of man and dog literally turned both their lives around.
“I am blown away by the response from everyone. Schoep has been my world for nearly two decades and I have based many life decisions on what would be best for him,” Unger told RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview.
PHOTOS: Arthritic Schoep Is On The Mend And Back On His Paws!
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, at 19 years old, the shepherd mix was suffering from debilitating arthritis that Unger couldn’t afford to treat and realizing that time was not on their side a friend captured the moving image of the duo as the Wisconsin native tried to ease his dog’s pain by floating with him in Lake Superior.
The outpouring of support from the photo after it went viral in August has caused more than $25,000 to flood in from around the world to fund expensive laser treatments that have Schoep feeling like a healthy young pup again.
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“We’ve seen a dramatic difference in his health,” the vet behind the dog’s groundbreaking treatment, Dr. Erik Haukaas, DVM of Bay Animal Area Hospital, Ashland, Wisconsin, exclusively told RadarOnline.com. “Schoep is very happy, he is comfortable, he is much more active and he likes to go on his walks at night.
“He is very interested in eating again, his ears are up and he is wagging his tail,” he revealed.
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The lively brown and white hound is a dramatic contrast to the pooch who first walked painfully into Dr. Haukaas’ examination room a few short months ago.
“He has degenerative arthritis due to his age,” explained the vet. “We discussed that euthanasia was an option at that point. John had a friend with him that day who paid for the X-rays and the blood work and a couple of weeks of pain medication, and then we were going to reevaluate in a couple of weeks and see if putting him down might be the next best thing.”
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Before that heartbreaking decision had to be made, the photo hit the headlines and suddenly John’s bank account exploded with donations from well-wishers and Schoep had a new lease on life.
“He is getting therapy laser treatment once a week, he is getting glucosamine supplements once a day, and the pain medication twice a day. It is making him comfortable. When we have dogs this age, we are not necessarily trying to keep them alive longer but trying to give them a good quality of life for the time they have left. Apart from arthritis, he is in very good shape for a dog of his age.”
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The life expectancy for a dog like Schoep is 14 to 16 years, so the plucky pooch has already outlived that by three years, and John is well aware that he can’t live forever.
“I will be heartbroken to say goodbye but know that when the time is right he will have had a great life and won’t fight it,” his emotional owner told Radar.
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“It’s going to be hard, no doubt about it. But, I have been preparing for a long time. Schoep is 19, so to be honest, I thought it would happen a long time before now.… I’m glad it didn’t!
“Aging and passing-on is a part of life. It is inevitable that this day will come. When it does, I will have blue days for sure, but knowing I can pick up a card, letter or read comments shared with me from so many people around the world is going to help me through it. The support and kindness people are offering is amazingly powerful,” he said gratefully.
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“In the meantime, I am cherishing every moment I have with Schoep.”
Unger credits Schoep for not only being man’s best friend, but also saving his life when he was so depressed after breaking up from his fiance that he considered committing suicide by jumping off the rocks of the Milwaukee marina.
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“When I was really at that moment to jump, he looked up at me with a look I’ve not seen since or before,” John told Radar. “It snapped me back to reality and made me think, ‘I shouldn’t be doing this… Who is going to care for this dog if I do this?’
“I had just rescued him a year before and I was not going to abandon him again by killing myself. He snapped me out of the frame of mind I was in.”
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Now the dog is helping John again by possibly offering a new career opportunity for the 49-year-old farm caretaker with the launch of the non-profit Schoep Legacy Foundation, which aims to provide assistance to dogs in need and pet owners who have to care for their animals without insurance.
“It’s amazing that his story has launched the foundation, and maybe even a new career! I just want to be able to give back to others after so many have helped me,” said Unger.
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“We are currently in the process of registering as a 501 C 3, charity. The money that came into the Bay Area Animal Hospital topped $25,000. This will cover Schoep’s medical needs and the excess was used to start Schoep’s Legacy. Right now, you can go to donate to the foundation and also to purchase prints and gift items on the John & Schoep Store—a portion of the proceeds goes to Schoep’s Legacy Foundation.
“This is a brand new organization, but ideas for partnership include a spay neuter program for low income households in the Bay Area of Wisconsin, rescue and senior dog care organizations and placing dogs with Veterans programs,” he explained.
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As for the inspiration behind the new charity, “He has been full of life since getting the treatments and even trotted on our walk this week!” gushed Schoep’s delighted owner as he fought back tears of happiness.
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Read it Here: RadarOnline
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Bullied Bus Monitor’s Daughter Reveals How She’ll Spend Over $500,000 In Donations
By Debbie Emery – Radar Reporter
Bullied bus monitor Karen Klein has been blown away with the outpouring of support from sympathizers around the world, and RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal how the 68-year-old grandmother plans to spend the $540,000 she has so far received in donations from well wishers.
“She is definitely surprised and overwhelmed and certainly thankful for everyone’s support, and it is nice knowing she is not alone,” Klein’s daughter, Amanda Romig, tells RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview on Friday.
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“We never thought it was going to be that much, she didn’t think that much – then wow!” says Romig, who explained that she didn’t think her widowed mom was going to return to her job after the verbal torture by the seventh graders from the Athena Middle School.
“I don’t think she is going to go back, I think she is pretty much done.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the four boys in the Greece Central School District near Rochester, New York videoed their torment and then posted the shocking clip — which had more than 1.2 million YouTube hits in less than two days – showing a sobbing Klein being bombarded with insults about her weight, graphic sexual comments, threats, called poor, and then physically assaulted with a book.
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The shocking video sparked the launch of a fundraising website on IndieGogo.com, which aimed to raise $5000 so she could go on a much-deserved vacation, but it was has already raked in 100 times that amount.
Along with overcoming her emotional distress, what is forefront on Karen’s mind is what she is going to do with the half-a-million dollars.
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“Right now, she has got to call her accountant and go from there, she’s talking about paying her bills and getting caught up and then whatever she feels she wants to do, she is going to do,” Romig tells Radar.
“She has a lot of ideas including making a donation here and there. My nephew has autism and my niece has Down syndrome, and with those types of disabilities the kids are going to get picked on too, so she wants to help both causes,” she explained.
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As for the vacation the fundraising was originally launched for, Klein has already been bombarded with free trips!
“Anderson Cooper gave her 10 tickets to Disneyland, and Disney World is letting her take a cruise of her choice,” says Amanda. “She’s going to Boston to be the honorary duck monitor next week.
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“There are a few things in the works, the TODAY show wants her back – but she’s not going to do a reality show yet!” she laughs.
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Read it Here: RadarOnline
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