Teacher Gets Surprise Puppy From Students After His Dog Passed Away

1010 WINS- Nearly 100 high school students surprised their teacher, Troy Rogers, with a brand new puppy after finding out his beloved dog had passed away.

The Alabama teacher told 1010 WINS that his Golden Retriever, named 'Chip,' was 11 and a half years old and recently went blind, leading to a severe depression and ultimately his passing away just a few days before Halloween.

"We tried and tried to cheer him up," says Rogers. "He suffered from macular degeneration, and I think he just gave up."

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That's when Mr. Rogers' students decided to collect funds and contact a breeder. With the help of colleagues and friends Erin Grey and Thomas Young, they got their teacher a new best friend -- a Golden Retriever puppy named 'Clementine' after the school's mascot -- and staged a big surprise reveal at the school.

"They were holding this beautiful puppy," Rogers explains about the reveal. "My wife had been notified just that morning. She was crying her eyes out with joy, and we were both so surprised."

The teacher of 18 years wants others to know that young people have so much love and joy in their hearts and that he hopes others can see the good in teens.

"I don't feel that I deserve to be the recipient of such a selfless act of kindness," says Rogers. "I value all my students and try to teach each of them to care for others in all avenues of life. The successful fruits of their parents' respective labors in raising them are evident to me every day. I am honored and privileged to be their teacher!"

-Joe Cingrana