Missy Kielbasa honored as Hometown Hero

(WWLP) - A woman who brings joy and hope to hospitalized children certainly deserves the honor of hometown hero.

Melissa "Missy" Kielbasa of the Pioneer Valley Red Cross uses her trained torupe of dogs to bring smiles to the faces of local hospitalized children.

"For some children this is the first time they've ever inter-acted with dogs. We have children from other countries whov'e never had an experienced relationship with a dog," said Missy.

For other children, Missy's dogs bring back the happy memories from back home.

"It's really nice because I don't have my dogs here, It's nice they're with other dogs, It's like your at home, It's kind of a pick 'em up for you. Yes it really is, you see all of the other kids smiling and everything, It's really nice," explained Kristen Barker, a patient at Shriners Hospital.

Springfield Shriner James Russell nominated Missy as a hometown hero. He vividly recalls how the dogs brought joy to one particular child.

He had two stumps and one stump for one of his legs and crawled over to one dog, and I just sat there and said to myself, this is the most wonderful thing that a person can do in their life, and it all comes back to Missy Kielbasa," told Russell.

"Missy" herself knows how these dogs can actually bring out in withdrawn children what humans can only try to do.

"To see the child actually looking forward to interacting with the dog, was just an amazing experience...so it was really heartwarming for me to have a patient recognize that she was so excited, so interaction at that moment" said Missy.

Watching the exchange between animal and child, you realize these are the purest expressions of love at first sight. And that every introduction is a prelude to memorable moments.