SOUTHAVEN, MS (abc24.com) - He's the most popular student at Southaven High School, but he walks the halls on four legs instead of two.
Snap is a diabetic service dog. He belongs to a Southaven junior.
Two weeks ago, Snap got sick, so sick he could no longer walk and became paralyzed. That's when Southaven students stepped up in a big way, helping with the dog's recovery.
16-year-old Blac Hughes is severely diabetic. His insulin levels can fluctuate quickly, so he has his service dog to help sense when he needs attention. For the past two weeks, their roles have been reversed.
"I used to end up in the hospital all the time. It's gotten a lot better since I've had him, I don't get sick as much," Blac tells abc24.com. He trusts his life to Snap.
"When my blood sugar changes too high or too low he can sense before I can and alert me before I get sick."
Snap is always by Blac's side, including in the classroom at Southaven High. "Students love him, teachers, everybody," he says.
"He's like the unofficial mascot of the school," says Principal Shane Jones. "Every student and teacher loves Blac and Snap."
Two weeks ago, Snap caused quite a scare when he suddenly became sick.
"The bell rang, I got up to leave and tried to get him to stand up to leave and he couldn't get up at all."
"When they were wheeling Snap out on a cart during break all the students were watching," says Blac's teacher Monica Gray. "They were automatically wanting to know, 'What's wrong with our dog?' It's 'our dog,' they said."
Snap, it turns out, had a spinal infection causing partial paralysis. Thankfully he's getting the proper treatment and should be fine, but he still can't walk on his own. So it's Blac now who's caring for his trusty sidekick.
"I've got to make sure he takes all his meds and take him out to use the bathroom," he says.
But Blac's not alone. His fellow students wanted to help pay Snap's extensive vet bills.
"We were just going by classrooms each morning and taking up donations," Gray says.
Tuesday, they presented Blac and his mother with a check for almost $2,000.
"That's typical of Southaven Chargers. If something's wrong with a Charger we do what we need to do to help our family," Gray adds.
"I love him," says Blac. "He's my best friend. I can't imagine not having him."
Snap will be on antibiotics for the next six to eight weeks. If he's not fully recovered by then, he may have surgery.
The vet doesn't know what caused the infection, but says Snap should make a full recovery.
