PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Phillies superstar Bryce Harper is known for doing incredible things on the field — and so is rescued Chihuahua-blue heeler mix Harper, whose acrobatic jumps and joy gave her Delco owner the motivation to power through a difficult medical journey.
“[A trainer] told me early on, ‘Harper is not a normal dog. Harper is gonna be this incredible dog. You watch,’” said owner Nancy Criscuolo.
Right as the pandemic began in 2020, Criscuolo rescued Harper, fittingly named her after her favorite Phillies player. The pup almost immediately responded to the name.
Because the pandemic limited where she could take Harper, Criscuolo was not sure how to keep her pup active. Fortunately, she has a spacious yard, so she took her pup outside and the two started playing with a ball.
The trainer’s instincts were right. Harper instantly knew to get it, bring it back, and drop it. Eventually, Harper graduated to jumping high into the air and catching the ball, and then she was introduced to a Frisbee.
“No ball left behind,” Criscuolo said. “It was insane. Like, she has crashed into fences.”
Bryce Harper is known for busting it most of the time — running hard on the bases and putting his body on the line to make plays in the field, even leaping into a camera well on his first night playing first base.
Notice the similarity?
It’s only appropriate that Harper the dog likes watching Phillies games with Criscuolo. She reacts to the games, too — she looks for tennis balls when home runs are hit and barks when the games are over.
In addition to Harper being a talented baller, she has served another purpose for Criscuolo. Shortly after adopting her, Criscuolo was diagnosed with a chronic illness. That’s when the dog she rescued returned the favor and rescued her.
“She’s incredibly sensitive,” said Criscuolo. “She senses when something’s going on, if I’m going in for a treatment or surgery. She knows. She absolutely knows.”
As a certified emotional support dog, Harper can pick things up for Criscuolo if they are dropped, for example.
“I truly don’t think I’d be here” without Harper, Criscuolo admitted. “I really do not think I would have had enough in me to keep going and to keep having treatments and to physically push myself.”
Hear more of Harper’s story in this week’s edition of the KYW Newsradio Philadelphia Sports Fan of the Week. You can follow the life of Harper the dog on TikTok at @Harperhappenings.