Former Missouri Tigers football coach Gary Pinkel and his wife, Missy, are dog lovers. Their pooch, Izzy, often appears with them in social media posts for the charitable GP M.A.D.E Foundation. In one video that went viral, Izzy showed off a special trick that Missy taught her.
It’s directed toward the rival to the west.
“I ask her, ‘Would you rather be dead or be a Jayhawk?’” Gary said. “She falls down and lays there. Doesn’t even move.”
The Pinkels are helping kids benefit from the work of another specially trained dog. The GP M.A.D.E Foundation made a generous donation to support Blaze, the new MU Health Care Children’s Therapy Center facility dog. Since November 2021, Blaze has participated in therapy sessions, motivating kids to keep working to improve their health.
In January 2022, the Pinkels stopped by the Children’s Therapy Center and saw Blaze in action.
“We jumped at the opportunity to help out,” Gary said. “To be a part of this program where a dog can lift up these kids’ spirits during difficult times is overwhelming when you see it.”