Lone Dell Elementary School will say goodbye to one of its most beloved and furriest staff members at the end of this school year.
TJ, a German shepherd who has been a touch therapy dog for students in special education teacher Brett Walters’ class for the past eight years, will retire when the school year ends. The Fox C-6 School District is scheduled to finish the 2024-2025 school year on May 23.
Brett, 32, and his wife, Julie Walters, 32, both of Oakville, said TJ was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma in February. Hemangiosarcoma, also known as HSA, is a highly malignant cancer of blood vessels, most commonly affecting the spleen or heart of older, large breed dogs, according to the Cornell University Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center.
“As devastating as it is going to be to lose him in the next few months, I would totally do it all again because of the pure joy he has brought,” Brett said. “He has probably touched thousands of lives.”
When TJ was first diagnosed with HSA, Julie said the veterinarian gave the dog about three months to live. However, thanks to treatment, the couple said TJ is expected to live into the summer.
Julie said TJ has responded well to chemotherapy, with his last round scheduled for May 9 before he switches treatment to pills. Despite the treatment, Julie said the nodules, which are small, round growths, continue to spread in TJ’s lungs.
“In a perfect world, I would get the next German shepherd over the summer, and (the two dogs) would meet each other,” Brett said. “We already have our feelers out for another German shepherd to train. (TJ) has created a precedent at this point; I don’t know what my room would look like without that anymore.”
Lone Dell Principal Paul Tramel said TJ’s impact at the school has been immeasurable.
“He is truly seen as a staff member by staff, students and parents,” Tramel said. “TJ is irreplaceable, and he will be missed by every student, staff member and parent who ever had the privilege of meeting him. He has been a mainstay for eight years, and when you look at how many students he interacted with over the years, losing him will leave a giant hole in our hearts.”
Coming to school
Julie said Brett informed her that he was getting TJ when they started dating in June 2017, adding that TJ was 16 weeks old when Brett got him, and the dog turned 8 on April 21.
“He said he wanted (TJ) to be a therapy dog for his room,” she said. “I don’t think we anticipated how much of an impact TJ would make.”
Front from left, Charlie, TJ, and Rick Kleb, with, back from left, Julie Walters, Brett Walters and Pamela Walters Kleb were part of a parade on March 14 to honor TJ.
Brett said he decided to bring a touch therapy dog to school to help his students after talking about it with his sister, Melody DeWesse, a child life specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.
“She had been talking to me about the impact of their therapy dog with kids, and I work with kids with emotional behavior disorders,” he said. “There are things I can say or do that do not snap a kid out of a full-blown meltdown, and TJ just picks up on it. He goes over to them and may lick them on the face or just stand near them, and it is amazing to see a kid’s mood totally shift when he is near them.”
Julie said Brett took TJ to training classes at Duo Dogs Inc., a nonprofit group that trains and certifies volunteers and their dogs to visit hospitals, treatment centers and residential facilities throughout the St. Louis area, according to the organization’s website, duodogs.org.
Brett said the instructor at Duo Dogs encouraged him to get TJ in the classroom as soon as possible so the classroom and interaction with students would be normal for the dog. When he asked then-Principal Luann Domek, who has since retired, if he could bring TJ to school to help his students, she didn’t hesitate to say yes, although she did ask him to send letters to his students’ parents to make sure none of the children were allergic to dogs and to explain TJ’s training.
“I didn’t have any parents balk at it; I was very lucky there,” said Brett, who has taught at Lone Dell for 11 years. “Before (adding TJ to the class), it was just me trying my bag of tricks that I learned early in my teaching career to try to get kids to regulate, but I would say he has been the ultimate tool that I have found in my career so far.”
Brett said TJ helps calm students who struggle to control their emotions, and he rarely has to instruct TJ to help a student.
“He has a calm presence. He just gives them some love, and it is amazing how it shifts the mood back to where it needs to be,” Brett said.
Tramel said seeing TJ’s impact on students is impressive.
“In one particular instance, a student was in my office with me, Mr. Walters and another staff member, and the student was in a state where we just could not break through,” he said. “After some time, Mr. Walters asked the student if they needed TJ, and, through tears, (the student) finally responded with an emphatic yes. Mr. Walters got TJ, and in a snap of the fingers, the student began calming down.”
Brett said his students often receive instruction in other classrooms, and TJ helps them there, too.
“Our philosophy is we get some of the severe behaviors under control, and when the students’ behaviors are in a check. we get them in the regular classroom,” Brett said. “There will be days when we don’t have anybody in my room. I will drop him (TJ) off with certain classes that I have students pushed in with. I will tell the kids who are my students that they are in charge of him, and they feel they are responsible.”
Brett said he also has taken TJ to classes during summer school.
Letting go
Lone Dell held a farewell parade for TJ on March 14.
Julie said Tramel honored TJ with an announcement, and students and staff formed a line from the playground to the school entrance, and then she, Brett, TJ and the couple’s other dog, Charlie, a 6-year-old golden retriever-black lab mix, walked past them.
Julie said TJ received a lot of treats, including a cake that had the phrase, “LDE Hero,” written on it. The staff also gave Julie and Brett T-shirts.
“It was very special and heartbreaking at the same time, but (TJ) deserved that honor,” Brett said. “He has pretty much dedicated his whole life to that building. It was a cool way to celebrate him.”
Julie said the couple took TJ to Dauphin Island, Ala., during the district’s spring break from March 18-22 because he loves water, and a professional photographer took pictures of them at the beach.
“We have been trying to see the sweet in the bitter and make this the best last couple of months that he could have,” Julie said. “We are trying to let (TJ) live it up as best he can.”