A disabled boy and his lame puppy are in perfect step – after helping each other to WALK.
Doctors feared little Tommy Jones, eight, would never be able to walk after birth complications and meningitis left him semi-paralysed.
But his parents Kerry and Mike heard about a Chihuahua puppy called Bobo who had a badly broken leg and decided that nurturing him could help their son with his own infirmity.
Tommy, who was then five, and soon became best of friends with Bobo and miraculously, within weeks of meeting, they both started walking.
Full-time carer Kerry, 40, said: “We got Bobo because Tommy was struggling to understand why he wasn’t like other children.
“Bobo was accidentally dropped as a puppy and suffered a badly broken leg which didn’t heal very well.
“When I heard about him I knew he would help Tommy, and they became best friends instantly.”
“Tommy was standing up a little bit before, and Bobo really struggled to walk, but within weeks they were both limping together.
“It was the most heartwarming thing I’ve ever seen.”
Tommy now spends all his pocket money on superhero uniforms for him and Bobo and they regularly dress up as Superman, Iron Man or even police officers, like dad Michael.
The family, from Southport, Merseyside, have another son Quinn, six, and they all now regularly go for walks together.
Kerry said: “Bobo had a broken front left leg and Tommy also had problems with his left leg.
“At first they could hardly stand, but as Bobo healed they both started taking their first steps together. It was amazing.”
When he was born, Tommy was not breathing and doctors diagnosed him with Group B Strep Meningitis which has affected the left hand side of his body.
They told Kerry and husband Mike, 36, it was unlikely their son would survive and if he did he would be semi-paralysed for life and would never be able to walk unaided.
But the youngster can walk unaided and is getting stronger every day and with the help of Bobo is learning to come to terms with being different.
The ‘posing pals’ have taken social media sites by storm and have nearly 15,000 followers on Instagram.
Proud Kerry said: “When we got Bobo, everything changed.
“Tommy started to sympathise with him and understood he was different. He saw how Bobo needed help and his own downfalls.
“It was such an amazing thing, but Tommy started helping Bobo and looking out for him and in turn it started to make him stronger.
“Now, Tommy is constantly improving and defying the odds. Doctors said he’d never walk, now he is.”
“He can’t write and finds things hard, but he’s learnt to deal with it by watching Bobo struggle.
“They help each other and it’s just amazing.
“Tommy has spent over £1,000 on Bobo from his pocket money and often buys the same outfit.
“They have so many fans and friends online it’s just lovely.”
