SAN DIEGO – Ricochet, the beloved Golden Retriever who found her calling as a therapy dog when she learned to surf, has died in Southern California.
The 15-year-old canine helped countless veterans and kids during more than a decade providing therapy in the waves off San Diego, according to her owner Judy Fridono.
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The dog, who died Friday, was diagnosed with liver cancer last August, she said.
Ricochet was trained to be a service animal, but the energetic pup was more fond of chasing birds than assisting with household chores, Fridono said.
The canine's mission became clear in 2009, when she got on a surfboard with quadriplegic surfer Patrick Ivison. A viral video of their ride got more than 6 million views.
“That day she hopped on the board with Patrick, she was reborn,” Fridono said in a 2012 interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune. “She kept running back to the water with her tail wagging like she could finally tell me, ‘This is what I want to do.’”
For the rest of her life, Ricochet helped kids with special needs, wounded service members and families of fallen veterans.
She worked as a therapy dog for Pawsitive Teams and the Naval Medical Center San Diego where she supported people with trauma, anxiety and other emotional challenges, the Union-Tribune said.
In addition, Ricochet helped raise $1 million for charity and the donation of more than 1 million bowls of food for homeless animals, the newspaper said.