Have you ever lost a pet, or had to put your pet to sleep?  Even though we try to tell ourselves that it is just an animal, a cat or a dog, there is still a tremendous sense of grief. 

Now imagine that you accidentally killed your pet; the sense of loss is amplified.  That is precisely what a boy, Mark D. Bruce, felt at the age of 10, when tragedy struck during a backyard baseball game in the summer of 1963.  Thus, begins the story of the new book, “Jackie, a Boy and a Dog:  A Warm Cold War Story.”

This tragedy connected Mark to the highest profile couple on earth, when in the midst of his sorrow he writes a letter to them, naively asking the question: “I killed my dog; may I have one of yours?” But then the impossible happened. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy took his request seriously, considering this improbable request, and in the midst of her own sorrow at the loss of their own newborn son, Patrick, granted his wish.  Experience the dramatic change of emotion from grief to joy as this tale unfolds.  Equally improbable was the subsequent relationship that Jackie and Mark developed, spanning three decades. 

The encouragement of the most iconic woman of the 20th century, spurred Mark Bruce to a life of service in the medical profession, touching lives burdened with their own tragedies, around the world.  Read what happens when an ordinary boy and then a man, puts his giftedness at God’s disposal. The results are amazing!