© 2026 ABC News

Gray, a nursing student, advertised a puppy needing a good home, and mentioned she was looking for a family who had a child with special needs. She received over 100 responses -- including a message from Palmer.

\"She told me her son had [heart surgery],\" Gray recalled. \"I really felt like, 'This is it,' so I messaged her.\"

\"PHOTO:
Gena Gray
PHOTO: Truett Palmer's grandfather, Rick McCord, a crop duster who works with small airplanes, took the trip with 2-year-old Truett's dad Brett Palmer from Missouri, to pick up Truett's goldendoodle from Gena Gray of Kentucky.
>
\"PHOTO:
Danielle Palmer
PHOTO: Truett Palmer, a 2-year-old who was sad to leave a hospital therapy dog after receiving heart transplant, has been gifted a pup of his very own.
>

Since Gray lives nearly 9 hours from the Palmers, Truett's grandfather, Rick McCord, a crop duster who works with small airplanes, took the trip with dad Brett Palmer to pick up Truett's goldendoodle.

\"PHOTO:
Danielle Palmer
PHOTO: Truett Palmer, 2, of Missouri, was born with a congenital heart defect called truncus arteriosus.
>

\"One of them wanted to be able to hug me,\" Gray said of Truett's parents. \"They're just super nice people.\"

Palmer said she's extremely grateful for Gray's kind act.

\"PHOTO:
Danielle Palmer
PHOTO: Dad Brett Palmer of Missouri, is seen with his 2-year-old son Truett and their goldendoodle. Truett was gifted the goldendoodle from a stranger on Facebook after receiving a heart transplant.
>

\"I'm humbled that she would even consider giving us such an amazing puppy,\" Palmer said. \"For her to sacrifice that for our family because of what my child has gone through ... it's overwhelming.\"

Truett named his goldendoodle Zeda Grace, and the puppy follows him wherever he goes.

\"PHOTO:
Courtesy Danielle Palmer
PHOTO: Truett Palmer, 2, of Owensville, Mo., was born with a congenital heart defect. Truett was gifted his own goldendoodle a few days before Christmas 2019, thanks to a stranger who learned about his story on Facebook.
>

Truett's donor heart came from a 3-year-old. Palmer said she hopes to one day meet the child's family to thank them in person.

The Palmers hope Truett's story raises awareness on the importance of organ donation.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Family/bonding-therapy-dog-year-heart-recipient-puppy-stranger/story?id=67983013","legacySlug":"/family/story/bonding-therapy-dog-year-heart-recipient-puppy-stranger-67983013","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"09:14","publishDate":"12-31-2019","updatedTime":"16:51","updatedDate":"12-31-2019","socialImage":{"alt":"Truett Palmer, 2, of Owensville, Mo., was born with a congenital heart defect. Truett was gifted his own goldendoodle a few days before Christmas 2019, thanks to a stranger who learned about his story on Facebook.","credit":"Courtesy Danielle Palmer","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/puppy-ht-er-191230_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"12/31/2019 09:14:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":67983013,"headline":"2-year-old heart recipient gifted pup","mediaAssetTitle":"BOY GETS PUPPY","description":"Truett named his goldendoodle Zeda Grace, who follows him wherever he goes.","duration":"1:00","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/12/193012_gma_digital_brightly_puppy_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["62335038","64651104","62040100"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"story","date":"April 12, 2019","headline":"Boy with cancer needs a mixed-race bone marrow match to save his life","section":"wellness","slug":"/wellness/story/parents-boy-cancer-mixed-race-bone-marrow-match-62335038","id":62335038,"image":{"alt":"Boy with cancer needs a mixed-race bone marrow match to save his life","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/jacoby-1-ht-er-190411_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Courtesy Jacoby Family\n","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"July 30, 2019","headline":"Adorable puppy born with fur mustache is seeking a forever home","section":"living","slug":"/living/story/adorable-puppy-mustache-adoption-social-media-star-64651104","id":64651104,"image":{"alt":"Adorable puppy born with fur mustache is seeking a forever home","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/puppy-with-mustache-up-for-adoption-MAIN-ht-np-190730_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Hearts & Bones Rescue","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"March 30, 2019","headline":"Couple reveals puppy's arrival in sweetest photoshoot","section":"living","slug":"/living/story/couple-reveals-puppys-arrival-sweetest-photoshoot-62040100","id":62040100,"image":{"alt":"Couple reveals puppy's arrival in sweetest photoshoot","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/main_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Claire McPhilomy Photography","ratio":"1x1"}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"2-year-old heart recipient gifted pup","description":"Truett named his goldendoodle Zeda Grace, who follows him wherever he goes.","duration":"1:00","uploadDate":"12-31-2019","publication":"12-31-2019","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/12/193012_gma_digital_brightly_puppy_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/12/193012_gma_digital_brightly_puppy_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/family/story/bonding-therapy-dog-year-heart-recipient-puppy-stranger-67983013"}},"playlist":[{"id":"133730535","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133712423","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133694181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133688738","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616358","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616342","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133522899","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133584123","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133579397","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133482839","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133390157","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133415361","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133414032","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133380485","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133358298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133350119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307515","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307527","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133282665","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133220149","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:family:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"family","title":"2-year-old heart recipient gifted pup","pubTime":"04:14","pubDate":"12-31-2019","modTime":"11:51","modDate":"12-31-2019","taxonomyTags":"none","id":67983013,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"2-year-old heart recipient gifted pup","mediaAssetTitle":"BOY GETS PUPPY","videoId":67983013,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/family/story/bonding-therapy-dog-year-heart-recipient-puppy-stranger-67983013"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/67983013","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/67983013","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};