Beacon, the golden retriever who serves as USA Gymnastics’ beloved therapy dog, was in many people’s thoughts and prayers this past week after it was announced he was rushed to the hospital after showing some concerning symptoms.
But now, there is an update on his progress: Beacon is home!
Beacon, whose work with the USA gymnastics team became a heartwarming media story this summer during the Olympics in Paris, was admitted to an emergency pet hospital on September 4, his owner Tracey Callahan Molnar wrote on Instagram.
She wrote that the golden retriever was displaying troubling symptoms including troubling symptoms including stiffness, labored breathing and a fever, which were not reacting to any treatments, and x-rays revealed fluid in his chest. Doctors had to perform tests to determine a diagnosis.
Molnar asked people to send “good wishes” to Beacon — and those thoughts and prayers seem to have been answered: yesterday, the owner announced that Beacon is now home.
In an Instagram update, she said that Beacon was on medication that reduced the fluid in his chest, and she learned how to drain excess fluid from his chest cavity.
While they are still awaiting a diagnosis and he’s “not out of the woods yet,” Beacon seems to be doing better and is regaining his appetite: “I’m happy to say, beacon ate his entire dinner on his own,” Molnar wrote.
She thanked the many people who helped her and Beacon during this difficult time, including friends, hospital staff and fans who sent well wishes. “There are so many warriors and warrioresses out there for Beacon- many i know and even more i’ve never met,” she wrote. “I wonder every day how i will ever be able to say thank you in a way that you all truly understand the depth of my gratitude. There are so many messages that lift me up and make me feel encouraged. Thank you.”
Many of Beacon’s fans and followers were relieved by the update.
“So happy he is able to go home!” one comment reads. “Being home with mom is the best medicine for Beacon! Sending our continued prayers and love.”
“Praying it’s not serious and he’s going to be fine,” another wrote. “Beacon has inspired me to sign up to a charity for my own golden retriever to be a therapy dog volunteer.”
Beacon: USA Gymnastics’ therapy dog
Beacon made history as USA Gymnastics’ first-ever therapy dog. His story made headlines this year as the women’s team saw major success in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Molnar adopted Beacon as a puppy in 2020, after her previous dog Tulsa passed away, according to USA Today. When Molnar saw how much Beacon loved and gravitated towards people, she knew he could potentially follow in Tulsa’s footsteps as a therapy dog.
She was friends with Caroline Hunt, vice president of the rhythmic gymnastics program at USA Gymnastics, who was interested in adding a pet therapy program to USAG. The dog therapy program launched in February 2023 at a rhythmic gymnastics program in Indianapolis. Overcoming skepticism, the program proved to have mental health benefits for the competitors.
“They saw the benefit,” Molnar told USA Today. “They heard their daughters, or their gymnasts talk about how much better they felt, how much calmer they felt going onto the competition floor and they credited being able to spend time with the therapy dogs in advance of the competition.”
Beacon and the burgeoning therapy dog program received national attention after he comforted the gymnasts and coaches during the Olympic trials in June, the high-stakes event in which athletes competed for slots on Team USA.
Before and after the trials, competitors were able to visit Beacon and his fellow therapy dogs, who greeted them enthusiastically. Spending time with a therapy dog has been known to reduce stress and anxiety — as the owner put it, Beacon “absorbs the stress” of those who turn to him for comfort.
She said the golden retriever was exhausted after a day of comforting the gymnasts, but the work was worth it: “I think we did important work. It was a rough night for some of the gymnasts, and I think Beacon helped celebrate the good stuff and be there and give support for the challenges.”
Beacon and the other therapy dogs joined the team at a time when there has been an increased conversation about the mental health toll gymnastics can take. More competitors have been prioritizing mental wellness.
“Over the last several years, our athletes have consistently told us that what they would like more of is mental health support, as well as nutritional support,” Jill Geer, USAG’s chief communications and marketing officer, told USA Today.
“They’ve turned things around entirely and now they are clearly thinking, ‘What does the athlete need?’ and it’s so nice,” three-time Olympian and coach Sam Mikulak told the New York Times. “Sometimes, just being there is all someone needs to get through a tough time. And a dog brings that triple-fold.”
Due to complicated logistics, Beacon was unable to travel with the team to Paris for the Olympics, but rooted them on from his home in California.
USA Gymnastics ended up dominating in Paris, taking home 10 medals including 3 gold, an improvement over their performance at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
We’re so glad that Beacon is home from the hospital — we hope he makes a full recovery and continues his inspiring work with USA Gymnastics!
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