Sochi is a 6-year-old black Labrador in Lorain, OH, who needs 3,900 for leg surgery.

Well Sochi was originally my daughters so she is called mom, and I am called grandma or granny… See my daughter was a long track speed skater who had an amazing story her name is Kelly Gunther if you look her up you can see her story… Anyways when she finally made the Olympic team I had promised if she did she could get a black lab puppy, because she had always wanted one because when she was a little girl growing up we had a black lab who died when she was away in another country skating, her name was Susie.
Anyways when Kelly made the 2014 team that was going to The 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi Russia I promised she would get a puppy when she returned. As she did a few months later. We searched until we found one in Hershey Pennsylvania.
Kelly stayed at home in Ohio for several months she and the puppy who she named Sochi. She then decided to return to her house in Salt Lake City maybe in the fall of 2014, taking Sochi with her. She didn’t think she was going to continue skating. She lived in a third-floor apartment, and thought it would be OK. After she was there a couple of months she decided she’s so wanted to go on for another try at the 2018 Olympics she realized with the intense training and living in the third-floor apartment it just wasn’t fair to the puppy She didn’t think she was going to continue skating. She lived in a third-floor apartment, and thought it would be OK. After she was there a couple of months she decided she so wanted to go on for another try at the 2018 Olympics she realized with the intense training and living in the third-floor apartment it just wasn’t fair to the puppy( sochi) so she said mom can you please take her. As hard as it was for her she knew it was the best thing.
Hi who is on disability and just recovering only A couple of years after several surgeries hardly walking much at all took Sochi in with me.
It actually ended up being the best thing so she became my dog she and I are in separable. Flew back and forth a few times a year with her to Salt Lake she flew right on the plane with me she was excellent she became a “service”dog she helped me walk through the airport , Helped me take walks outside she was truly a blessing.
I live alone, and Sochi is a true companion to me.
I cannot even tell you how attached I am to her.
Kelly retired two years ago and just moved back to Ohio this past July, she lives with my son about 10 minutes away she visits Sochi A couple of times a week , And still is mom and I am grandma however she realizes that truly Sochi is my dog.
If I have to go away Kelly keeps her so it’s kind of the best of all worlds for her.