STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State University faculty members left their offices to pet and play with two therapy dogs.
Dogs like Charlie and Evie have been frequent visitors at one particular office on the Stillwater campus. It's all because the office is where one of the crash victims worked.
"You hear things like that happen to other people, but you never expect that that's going to be somebody you know," said Doug Reed, Bonnie Stone's coworker.
Reed worked closely with Bonnie Stone for more than 20 years. Bonnie and her husband Marvin both died during the crash.
"I hold to the fact that she wouldn't want me to be depressed or feel bad about it. She would want me to press on, and I try to hold onto that," said Reed.
The dogs, known as Pete's Pet Posse, fanned out across campus following the 2015 tragedy.
Even the University president's wife, Ann Hargis, took her therapy dog to the transit office, where the mother of the youngest crash victim worked.
"I think that they are the comfort and the support for people who are seeking help but not knowing how to express it," said Hargis.
The University created the therapy dog program three years ago, and students say petting and playing with the pups helps in all sorts of ways.
Stone's former coworkers even keep track of the times the therapy dogs have visited. "These are all the dogs that have visited, and a few pictures of us with the dogs," said Reed, showing off photos of the dogs. "I call them welcome distractions, so it's really nice."
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