“That’s what trials do, I guess. They either build you up or break you.” Pat Johnson speaks from experience. After years of faith and persistence, in 2023 she earned her degree through the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) program at Brigham Young University (BYU).

When Pat was a young BYU student in 1989, debilitating migraines forced her to pause her education. As she and her husband raised three children, Pat wanted to return to school but was sidelined again by a stroke, congenital heart disease, and multiple open-heart surgeries.

Eventually, all her children chose to attend BYU. Determined to finish her degree, Pat applied to BYU’s Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) program, which allowed her to focus on her health while taking courses. She was on track to graduate in 2024 when she discovered that her daughter, son, and daughter-in-law would all be walking together at graduation in 2023. Assisted by the flexibility of BGS, she accelerated her coursework and graduated with an emphasis in Psychology alongside her children. “I still can’t believe I did it,” she says. “Being able to graduate and walk with them—I wasn’t going to let that opportunity go.”

In 2018, before she began the BGS program, Pat was struggling with another health setback when her family bought her a golden retriever, Deeks. Her new friend helped her so much that she wanted to share the love at the children’s hospital in Dallas, with kids who have heart defects like hers. She decided to train Deeks as a therapy dog along with Gryffy, who the family adopted a little later.

Pat’s BYU psychology classes helped her “accentuate the impact we can have on other people.” She says that studying psychology “connected all the dots to give me a bigger picture” of what life is really about. This knowledge continues to influence her volunteer work. Together, Pat, her husband, Deeks, and Gryffy visit places like the DFW airport, hospitals, schools, and counseling offices. They even helped calm the nerves of athletes on the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team before a competition. Every time she works, Pat sees the joy her dogs bring to people. She’s grateful for the chance to share comfort and healing with her community.