Connecticut woman’s dying wish granted as she gets to visit beloved horse

79-year-old Karina Courtmanche’s dying wish was to be reunited with her horse, Bella. (Photo by WFSB via CNN)
79-year-old Karina Courtmanche’s dying wish was to be reunited with her horse, Bella. (Photo by WFSB via CNN)

BETHANY, Connecticut (WFSB) — Tucked away at a small farm in Bethany a 30-year-old horse is being taken care of.

The horse’s owner is in hospice with not many months left.

79-year-old Karina Courtmanche’s dying wish was to be reunited with her horse Bella.

“I’m very excited that I’m able to give her this last wish. It’s important to her, so it’s important to us,” said Michelle Walker, RN Case Manager for CT Hospice.

Karina’s owned brown-eyed Bella since she was a baby.

“We were talking with her and she kept talking about her horse Bella, that she wanted to see Bella,” Walker said.

Connecticut Hospice worked with Mary Wade Home.

In just days, the teams coordinated a way to get Karina from Mary Wade Home to Bittersweet Farm.

“Our medical team, our EMTs went to Mary Wade this morning to help transition her from the bed to the stretcher and she’ll be coming in an ambulance,” said Andrew Rennie, Exec. Business Develop. For American Medical Response.

Karina has been a patient at Mary Wade Home for over a year now.

“Her condition has declined where her body is just failing her,” Walker said. “She’s a lovely lady, she loves to be dressed up to the nines, she loves having the jewelry on, makeup done.”

Once Karina passes, Bella will continue to be cared for at Bittersweet Farm.