WHITEHORSE — Even including family, teachers, coaches, and celebrities, local man Eric Lee would be hard pressed to name a role model that isn’t that Siberian Husky from a video he saw on Facebook last month.
“My parents are fine, I guess, but I’ve never seen them take a strong moral stand or put any effort into helping others,” said Lee, “On the other hand, Buck [the dog] is incredibly helpful and generous in a way that really resonates with me.”
Lee came across the viral video while browsing his social media. He hadn’t intended to watch the video at first, but it started to play automatically as he scrolled down and the first few seconds caught his eye.
“I was entranced,” said Lee. “Here was a dog who not only helped another dog out of a hole, but when his owner offered him a treat, he gave it to the other dog.” Lee had to pause for a moment, misty eyed, before he continued, “that’s who I want to be.”
Lee was so moved by the 38 second video that he had to watch it again with the sound on. The video was framed above and below with the words “If you’re moved by this, you have a beautiful heart”. Lee was then able to conclude that because he was moved, he did have a beautiful heart, something no one had hitherto told him.
Friends and family have remarked on Lee’s dramatic change in character, “he helps with the dishes after dinner sometimes, saying that this it would be something Buck would do” said his sister Grace, “and sometimes he goes for walks to see if anything is stuck in a hole. It’s a marked improvement from several weeks ago when he completely ignored our friend Ryan who was stuck in that hole.”
Due to the small but positive changes in Lee’s attitude, no one has yet had the heart to tell him the video was sponsored content advertising the film A Dog’s Purpose.
