They say when one door closes, a window opens. To one Korean couple, Kang Won Rae and Kim Song, it seemed as if all the doors and windows in their life were being slammed shut one by one.
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In the 1990s, Kang had been a member of the popular Korean pop music and dance called “Clon”. However, a serious traffic accident in 2000 left him completely paralyzed from the waist down. He and his wife were married in 2001 and for 10 years, they had tried to have a child but to no avail. So, their corgi Doldol became the object of their love and affection. Doldol brought great comfort to the once infertile couple.
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Sadly, Doldol was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2011. The cancer spread to its lungs, liver, spleen, and spine, it was a blow to the couple when they were told that Doldol had only two months left to live. So, they decided to spend as much time as they could with their baby before her short time was up. The couple immediately set out to make a bucket list for Doldol. They began by taking a photograph together. This was followed by trips to the beach and then to a snowy field—the place Doldol loved most of all.
However, as soon as Doldol was taken out of the car and had started off towards the snowy landscape, she suddenly stopped in her tracks and toppled over. Kim Song was in panic and called for Kang Won Rae. He quickly got on his wheelchair and went to Doldol. Doldol took her last breath on her daddy’s lap. Kang Won Rae and Kim Song couple shed tears of sadness mourning the death of their beloved dog.
Doldol’s death broke the couple’s heart, though she had actually lived far longer than doctors had expected. It seemed as if all the doors and windows in their life were slammed. However, there was still one window that the couple had dreamed would someday open. Two months after their dog’s passing away, they were happily surprised to learn that Kim’s artificial insemination had been successful. Kim gave birth to their son in June 2014.
Despite their joy, they never forgot what Doldol had meant to them. The couple’s healthy son was born a few months later. The couple plans to tell him all about Doldol and how she kept their hearts open and ready for the love and joy their child would someday bring. Kang Won Rae said, “Doldol came to me when I was having a hard time. I’ll never forget her.”
Image credits: YouTube