HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A Central Virginia family facing the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to their beloved golden retriever found unexpected kindness from Perry's Steakhouse, which opened its doors to give the terminally ill dog a special final meal.
Kelly Blumenthal said the family's beloved golden retriever, Emmie, received the terminal diagnosis in August. Doctors had given the family two to six months with their furry companion.
"We were told in August that our 7-year-old golden retriever, who had been perfectly healthy, had blood cancer which is very aggressive and that the time was two to six months," Blumenthal said.
In January, scans revealed the cancer had spread to Emmie's lungs aggressively. Facing the difficult decision to say goodbye, Blumenthal wanted to give Emmie one last special experience.
"The first thing that came to mind was, 'She loves to eat… What would she want her last meal to be?' And then I thought, 'What dog doesn't want a steak?'" Blumenthal said.
By coincidence, Perry's Steakhouse was located directly across from Emmie's oncologist office. When Blumenthal reached out to the restaurant, General Manager Jesus Martinez immediately stepped up to help.
"When it came to Kelly's request, obviously being a dog owner myself, I wanted to ensure that, A, it's special, and B, this is a lasting memory that she can take home," Martinez said.
The restaurant went above and beyond expectations. Staff organized an honor walk through the dining room, leading Emmie to her final meal. They prepared a special steak bone, created a custom dog cake, and even brought out a chocolate cake with a flambé presentation.
"They gave her the steak bone, they made a special dog cake for her, they brought out a huge chocolate cake and flambeed it in front of her," Blumenthal said.
But the most meaningful part wasn't the food – it was the overwhelming affection from Perry's staff, who showered Emmie with pets, hugs and love during her final hours.
"Hospitality means that we take care of people, not because we're forced to, but because we want to. It was a beautiful day," Martinez said.
Martinez emphasized that Perry's commitment to exceptional service extends to all guests.
"Whether you have two legs or four legs we definitely want to help create that experience for you when you walk through the doors at Perry's," Martinez said.
To show her gratitude, Blumenthal surprised Martinez with a permanent keepsake, Emmie's paw print.
"That's literally her… and you were able to meet her," Blumenthal told Martinez during the surprise presentation.
Martinez expressed his happiness about being able to provide such a meaningful experience for Emmie and her family during their difficult time.
The past few weeks have been challenging for the Blumenthal household, but memories like these help keep Emmie's joyful spirit alive. Blumenthal, a mother of two who often promotes heart health with her son Finn, remembers Emmie as the energetic heart of their family who brought happiness and joy to everyone she met.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
