Being a kid can be hard. And sometimes the only thing that can help isn’t mom, dad, or anyone on two legs really.

Sometimes the best medicine is just the presence of a kindhearted, unassuming canine friend — the kind who has a knack for being there when things go wrong.

Since 2021, students at The Gordon School in East Providence have enjoyed the services of Denver, a black Labrador Retriever who initially joined the school as a specially-trained diabetes alert dog for the daughter of Gordon teacher, Greg Carson.

But Denver’s knack for showing empathy and kindness to the student body in general led to an expansion of his role, and he now gladly serves as the school wide support animal, helping students handle stress, anxious, or difficult situations and the emotional challenges that often coincide with early education.

“Today, Denver has his own daily schedule, visiting classrooms, comforting students and even lending a listening ear to children practicing their reading skills,” the school said in a press release.

On Oct. 20, students gathered to surprise Denver with a celebration in honor of his 9th birthday. He was taken into the gym and treated to a fashionable flower necklace from students, who shared stories about how Denver had helped them over the years.

“Once when I was in kindergarten, I’m pretty sure we were going to library,” said Cora Ackley, a fourth grader from Providence. “Denver was in the same place in the hallway as I was. And I accidentally tripped and fell and scraped my knee. It was not fun. And Denver came over and would not leave my side. And that was just so nice that he came to help me because he knew that I was hurt. I just think that’s so special for a dog and so special how he helped me. Thank you Denver!”