Alright folks, buckle up and grab your tissues — today’s heartwarming tale is about none other than Beacon, the therapy dog who’s wiggled his way into the hearts of America’s top gymnasts.

Yes, you heard that right. Not an athlete, not a coach, but a fluffy, golden bundle of fur is playing a crucial role in Team USA’s gymnastics, and the world simply can’t handle the cuteness overload.

With the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris setting the global stage on fire, amid all the flips, twists, and twirls, there’s one quiet hero that’s making a howl of a difference.

Enter Beacon, the 4-year-old golden retriever with a resume more impressive than most Hollywood actors. This tail-wagging wonder is USA Gymnastics’ first therapy dog, and he’s turned out to be the real star of the Games.

Let’s rewind a bit, shall we? Beacon’s fairy tale didn’t start in an Olympic stadium but in the heart of his owner, Tracey Callahan Molnar. Adopted as a puppy in 2020 after the passing of Molnar’s previous dog, Tulsa, Beacon was destined for greatness.

When Molnar noticed his uncanny ability to gravitate towards people, she envisioned him joining the ranks of therapy dogs like his predecessor. And boy, was she on the money!

As luck would have it, Molnar is buddies with Caroline Hunt, the rhythmic gymnastics program’s vice president at USA Gymnastics. Cue the lightbulb moment!

Around February 2023, the dog therapy program got a green light in Indianapolis, and despite a cloudy sky of skepticism, it was all sunshine and rainbows from there.

The competitors found that spending time with these loveable pooches was like discovering a magical elixir for their nerves.