Photo: Haley Walsh Martin
Axel and Bingo have been inseparable since the moment they met, which is precisely what Axel’s mom, Haley Walsh Martin, was hoping for.
Haley and her husband, Chad, noticed their son Axel’s deep connection to cats shortly after bringing the boy home from the hospital when he befriended the couple’s usually grumpy cat.
“He just loved Axel since we brought him home, and Axel loved him,” Haley tells PEOPLE.
So when Axel was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of leukemia at 14 months old, his parents decided he should have a cat of his own to comfort him through treatment.
The family visitedWhiskers of Warren Countyin Iowa and picked out a kitten who was found wandering alone.
“We named her Bingo because Axel loves the kid’s showBluey,and Bingo is Bluey’s sister on the show,” Haley explains.
Haley Walsh Martin
It took mere minutes for Axel and Bingo to bond.
“They’ve been besties since the day we got her,” Axel’s mom says. “I just can’t believe that this cat has such a bond with my son. It’s wild!”
Bingo is a pet that “totally tolerates” a toddler’s limited understanding of boundaries and can sense when Axel needs cuddles most.
Axel has had “some really hard days” throughout his cancer treatment.
“I definitely think she understood that feeling and to be gentle and calm because she would lay with him on the couch for 12 hours,” Haley says of Bingo’s reaction to Axel’s rough days.
“She did not leave his side; she just stayed wherever he positioned himself around her,” she adds.
There are many good days ahead for Axel and Bingo. Axel, now 2, is cancer-free and in the maintenance phase of his chemo plan, which is “less strenuous and aggressive,” says Haley.
Now, Axel and Bingo spend most of their time playing with toys together and “causing trouble.”
“It’s been really special to watch. They have quite a strong connection,” Haley says of the “perfect pair.”
After watching Bingo’s positive impact on Axel, Haley was eager to help Whiskers of Warren County, so when the rescue asked Haley to submit Axel and Bingo’s story to the Petco Love Stories campaign, she said, “of course.”
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Animal Humane New Mexico secured this year’s top Love Stories grant award of $100,000 from BOBS from Skechers and Petco Love, thanks to Carol’s adoption story. After Carol lost her husband of 54 years, she decided to adopt a cat to help guide her through her grief and lift her spirits. Carol opted to adopt an adult female cat and named her “Treetop” after her late husband’s military login.
To learn more about the Petco Love Stories campaign,visit the project’s website.
source: people.com
