MIAMI (WSVN) - A veteran and her service dog were reunited after they were abruptly separated in the aftermath of a car crash.
Friday’s happy reunion was the moment that Sharmaynne Thomas had been waiting for after she spent weeks at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Now she and Sharlay are back together.
“I had so many people praying. I had no problem. I knew she was going to be alright,” said Thomas.
Thomas’ service dog ran away from the frightening crash in Northwest Miami Dade that sent Thomas to the hospital for several weeks.
Thomas was released from the hospital on Thursday.
“Stitches here, stitches on the top,” said Thomas as she showed 7News her injuries.
After the crash, the veteran was pulled from her pickup truck by a stranger.
“They said, ‘What’s wrong?’ And I said, ‘It’s the stress of the dog when I was in the emergency room,'” said Thomas.
But luckily for Thomas, another stranger, Adriana Hermida, found Sharlay and had been holding on to her ever since.
“I was happy for her, because if I lose a dog, I would like for someone to return it to me back,” said Hermida.
Thanks to a 7News story about the crash, Hermida knew who the owner was, giving her the information she needed to make this reunion a reality.
“And I saw the news, Channel 7, I saw the news when I got up to make coffee, and I saw the dog and said, ‘Oh, my God, that’s her. I’m so happy!'”
“What do you have to say about this woman right here,” the reporter asked Thomas about Hermida.
“Oh she’s awesome. She came to my hospital room every single day I needed,” said Thomas.
Thomas said she’s looking forward to recovering from her injuries and has nothing but gratitude for Hermida and all the others who’ve helped her get this far.
“Miracles. That’s a lot of miracle in one day,” said Thomas.
As a competitive athlete, Thomas hopes to gain back her full strength soon to be able to compete again this summer.
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