Ben Madilynn
PLAINVILLE, Mass. (WJAR) — A man on a mission to fulfil his dying wish- has done so.
In May, NBC 10 brought you the story of David Fine, a 64-year-old Massachusetts man, who was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Told by his doctors he would most likely die in six month, the Plainville man set out on a mission to find his dog, ‘Babs,’ a home to go to when he dies.
“My doctors are very surprised that I’m still here and he says, ‘Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.’ So, that’s what I’ve been doing,” said Fine. “I’m feeling pretty good and I’m not supposed to be. I’m 8 months past my expiration date. There was a time 6 months ago where my doctor was questioning himself.”
Fine said unfortunately, a PET scan in November revealed that his original diagnosis was correct.
He also grew three new tumors that fortunately, are growing slowly.
“I’m not worrying about it and there’s no stress about it. And I think that’s a big part of it, that when you stress and you worry and your body doesn’t heal as good,” he said.
What he had been worrying about up until a few months ago, was securing the home for Babs.
“The problem is going to be breaking the bond with me. I’m planning on doing hospice right here when time comes,” he said.
After NBC 10’s story aired, Fine said things took off.
“It went viral. It went crazy. I got thousands and thousands of emails from all over the world. It was surprising. The outpouring of people just concerned, wanting to help, or just giving me well wishes which really was very special to me,” he said. “I was down on people for a long time you know, nobody cares, and to see this many people come out and take their time to wish me well, I mean most of them knew they couldn’t take the dog they just wanted to send prayers toward me and wish me well and I guess it’s working.”
After vetting thousands of emails, Fine said he and Babs made several trips to visit families interested in giving her a home once he passed.
“We met someone in East Greenwich, and another fellow down the street in North Attleborough, and the people in Cohasset,” he said. “Then the family we picked fell through. Now I’m like, ‘Oh my god, now I got to go back through all these emails and start over again.'”
Right around that same time, his neighbor, Karen Spiewak, started to develop a bond with Babs.
“I saw her out walking with David and my late husband was a big animal lover, and he would go over and pet her and talk to her,” said Spiewak, “Then it got that we would go out, when she was out.”
Spiewak said shortly after, her husband passed away from cancer.
Babs and David would stop by to say hello on their daily walks, sometimes she would join them.
“She helped me kind of get through it,” she said. “I thought about it [offering to take her] I said, ‘No, I can’t, I just couldn’t do it and then I’m like I have to do it. It would break my heart for her to go to someone else and to not no where she is, if she would be treated right, and they love her like we love her here.”
Fine said over a small amount of time, Babs have developed a love for Spiewak.
When they’re out, she will wait at her door for her to get home from work.
“I think I knew all along that I was going to take her, it just clicked,” said Spiewak. “His [Fine’s] exact words to me were, ‘I know. I’ve known all along,’ I think is what he said.”
Spiewak said she considers Bab her child. Her mom and sister are also awesome with the pooch and have developed a relationship with her.
“She will be the center of the home really,” she said. “For David, it’s one less thing he can think of when he leaves us. It fills a void that was left by my husband, and just to help a friend, and help Babs. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Fine said while he’s feeling OK, he’s hopeful he will have more time with his four-legged best friend.
He is extremely grateful for Spiewak’s and everyone else’s support.
“Karen is a beautiful person and her family is great. It takes a lot of pressure off of me because I know she’s going to be in a safe place,” he said. “No doubt in my mind, I will die peacefully knowing that Babs will have a caring home for the rest of her life. I’m sure of it.”
“To everyone out there that sent emails and well wishes and everything else, thank you very much. It meant a lot to me that so many people came out for a perfect stranger,” he added. “I don’t think I’ve ever had that in my life before and that three months was very nice.”
