She listened to hesitant readers, dressed up for the holidays and made rounds at the hospital. Dilworth Elementary's therapy dog is gone, and a statue now stands in her place.
On January 5, the Dilworth community said goodbye to one of its most beloved members: Mildred, better known as Milly, a golden retriever whose gentle spirit touched thousands of lives.
For more than a decade, Milly served as a therapy dog at Dilworth Elementary School, a comforting presence in classrooms, hallways and the front office. Whether she was listening patiently as children practiced reading aloud, greeting students with a wagging tail or simply sitting beside someone who needed company, Milly had a gift for making everyone feel seen, safe and loved.
"Milly brought magic to our neighborhood and school turning hesitant readers into powerful storytellers with her patient, listening ears," one sixth grader said in the magazine. "Everyone who knew Milly loved her."
Beyond the school
Her work did not stop at the schoolhouse door. Milly also made therapy visits to local hospitals, bringing comfort, calm and countless smiles to patients and families facing some of life's hardest moments. Wherever she went, her intuitive way of connecting with people made her a source of hope and healing.
School visits were still the highlight of her day. She delighted in dressing up for holidays and special events, soaking up every hug, pat and smile from students and staff. Even on the day she died, Milly spent time doing what she loved most: visiting the children who adored her.
A statue in her memory
This spring, Dilworth Elementary's graduating fifth-grade class honored Milly by giving the school a statue in her memory, so that future students will know the dog who brought so much joy to its halls. Katie Smith, whose family Milly belonged to, is pictured in the magazine beside it.
Milly may no longer walk the hallways, but her kindness, her unconditional love and her lasting impact remain part of Dilworth Elementary and the many hospital rooms she brightened over the years. She was, and always will be, one very good girl.
This story appears in the August 2026 issue of Stroll Dilworth.