Benjamin couldn’t see their faces or hear their vows, but he felt every ounce of love around him.
Meghan and Matt Rogers had already woven the blind and deaf bully mix into every part of their daily lives. He had come to them late in his journey, after Wags and Walks in Nashville took him in and connected him with what they called a “forever foster” home. Meghan and Matt said yes, even though they were nervous about caring for a dog who couldn’t see or hear and who struggled with seizures.
“Ultimately, I know it’s cliché, but even though I was nervous, in the back of my mind I knew I was going to say yes,” Meghan said.
They picked him up that same night. And soon, Benjamin wasn’t just a foster. He was family.
So when the couple planned their small backyard wedding ceremony, there was no question he’d have a place in it. “Benjamin was literally family from day one, and our love for him continued to grow, and I personally knew I couldn’t have our ceremony without [him],” Meghan said.
He arrived in a tiny tuxedo bandana, wandering the yard the way he had learned to navigate his new world. Then, when Meghan walked toward Matt, something unforgettable happened. “Despite being completely blind and deaf, Benjamin walked up directly between us, like he just knew he needed to be there. It literally brought us all to tears, it was so special. He could sense something was happening, and I like to think it was his stamp of approval.”
A week later, Benjamin passed away.
“It still brings tears to my eyes. He held on just long enough, and it’s that much more meaningful that it was our last weekend with him,” Meghan said.
Matt treasures the moment he felt Benjamin finally relax into love. “He wasn’t very affectionate, but he fell asleep on my lap while I was rubbing his head and was just comfortable, maybe, for the first time in his life.”
The couple first learned about Benjamin through the foster team at Wags and Walks. They had fostered dogs before, but when they heard about him, they hesitated. “I just didn’t want to set either of us up for failure,” Meghan said. Still, something nudged them forward, and that leap changed everything.
“I miss looking out the window and seeing him sunbathing and knowing that was his happy place,” Meghan added.
Looking back, both say they’d do it again without hesitation. “As hard as it was to say goodbye to Benjamin, we would do it again in a heartbeat. Our lives are forever changed because of him.”
And if anyone else is considering opening their home to an older animal, Meghan has one piece of advice: “DO IT. We truly can’t tell you how much Benjamin taught us about patience and perseverance, and to just enjoy the little things. They say old dogs can’t learn new tricks, but they can sure teach some.”
- From Backyard to New Beginnings as Couple Gifts 46 Acres for Affordable Homes - January 9, 2026
- She Faced 100 Fears in 100 Days and Sparked a Global Movement - January 9, 2026
- A Tiny Home Gave a Veteran a Fresh Start and Brought His Little Girl Home - January 9, 2026
