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!
Our guest is author Dr. Mark Bruce to tell us more about this amazing story and his new book “Jackie, a Boy and a Dog: A Warm Cold War Story.”
About the Author, Dr. Mark Bruce…
Mark Bruce grew up with a love for dogs. This became a focal point of Mark’s childhood when the President and Mrs. Kennedy gave him the “pupnik” named Streaker, the grand-pup of Strelka, the first dog to orbit earth in a Soviet Sputnik spaceship, and return alive. Mark maintained a pen-pal relationship with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, with many personal letters, from the 1960’s until the 1980’s.
Today Mark is an emergency medicine physician in Wisconsin, a husband of 42 years to his wife Moira E. O’Brien-Bruce, DO, and a father and grandfather to 5 children, and 7 grandchildren.
Mark has traveled with the international medical ministry in Central America, Asia, Europe, and Africa, and led many teams into the Asian disaster zones for medical relief work.
In addition to clinical duties, Mark is the Ambassador to Belize and Canada for the American College of Emergency Physicians.
SCHEDULING NOTE:
Because Dr. Mark Bruce is an emergency room physician, he is only available for interviews on the following dates and times listed in Eastern Time:
Wed. Nov. 20 available all day other than 9-10 am ET.
Thurs Nov 21 available all day
Fri Nov 22 available all day
Dec 2 (09:00-10:00 am ET, and after 12:30 pm ET)
December 3-6 all day
Dec. 11 all day
Dec 12 until 1 pm ET
Dec 13 all day
Dec 16 all day
