♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HI, WELCOME TO "INCH SIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

THIS WEEK, DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

JEFF CALLAWAY DOES.

HE WAS WORKING AT THE KENTUCKY HUMANE SOCIETY WHEN A MALNOURISHED DOG WAS DUMPED IN THE PARKING LOT ON A COLD JANUARY NIGHT BACK IN 2021.

WELL, TODAY THAT DOG IS KNOWN AS ETHAN ALMIGHTY AND IS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN, SPREADING A MISSION OF KINDNESS WHEREVER HE GOES: HE WAS NAMED THE AMERICAN HUMANE NATIONAL HERO DOG OF THE YEAR AND NOW HAS A NON-PROFIT IN HIS NAME, TOO.

THIS YEAR, ETHAN'S LAW WAS PASSED IN THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY, MAKING ANIMAL CRUELTY A FELONY.

AND NOW PRODUCTION IS UNDER WAY ON A FEATURE FILM TELLING HIS STORY.

YOU WILL MEET ETHAN IN JUST A MOMENT.

BUT FIRST CHRISTIE DUTTON INTRODUCES US TO PENNY, ANOTHER MIRACLE DOG WHO IS FOLLOWING IN ETHAN'S FOOTSTEPS.

>> SHE IS INSPIRING.

SHE HAS A SPIRIT THAT WON'T BE BROKEN.

SIT.

THERE YOU GO.

>> THAT UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT TOOK HER ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP FIVE FINALISTS FOR THE AMERICAN DOG HERO AWARD GAINING REBOUNDING NICKS AS THE EMERGING HERO AND SHELTER DOG WHICH IS NO SURPRISE FOR THOSE WHO KNOW HER WELL LIKE KERRY FROM THE ARROW FUND.

>> SHE LOVES EVERYONE THAT SHE MEETS.

SHE HAS A SMILE ON HER FACE.

SHE ACTUALLY HAS A SMILE.

WHEN YOU MEET HER, IT'S HARD NOT TO SMILE AROUND PEN AGREE SOME SAY A DOG IS MAN'S BEST FRIEND.

AT ASSUMPTION, AN ALL GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL IN LOUISVILLE, PENNY IS MORE OF A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND.

>> AND THEN SHE JUST WALKS THE HALLS, CHECKS IN ON OUR STUDENTS.

SHE LIKES TO POP HER HEAD INTO CLASSROOM.

(SCREAMING).

>> PENNY SERVES AS THE CERTIFIED THERAPY DOG FOR ASSUMPTION HIGH SCHOOL AND GOSS WORK WITH HER OWNER, A TEACHER AT ASSUMPTION, LINDY PETES.

>> SHE IS IN OUR GUIDANCE OFFICE AND HANGS OUT THERE ALL DAY LONG AND STUDENTS CAN POP IN AND JUST SEE HER FOR A COUPLE SECONDS OR THEY CAN SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, DEPENDING ON IF THEY'RE NEEDING TO COME IN AND THEY'RE JUST HAVING A REALLY ROUGH DAY.

>> YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW BY LOOKING AT HER NOW, LIVING HER BEST LIFE.

BUT PENNY HAS HAD TO OVERCOME CRUELTY AND MUCH ADVERSITY.

PENNY'S PAST IS A PAINFUL ONE.

SHE WAS THROWN FROM A CAR AND BADLY INJURED.

>> AFTER X-RAYS WERE TAKEN AND THREE OF FOUR OF HER LEGS HAD BEEN BROKEN, THE VET DETERMINED THOSE INJURIES WERE TWO WEEKS OLD.

SO SOMEONE HAD PURPOSEFULLY HURT HER, ABUSED HER AND THEN DISCARDED HER LIKE TRASH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

THE SHELTER THAT TOOK HER IN ORIGINALLY SAID THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO WALK ON THREE BROKEN LEGS.

THAT THEY COULDN'T GIVE UP ON HER BECAUSE SHE KEPT TRYING.

>> SO THEY CONTACTED THE ARROW FUND, AN ORGANIZATION THAT RESCUES AND REHABILITATES ABUSED AND NEGLECTED AN MA'AMS.

THE ARROW FUND WAS DETERMINED THAT WOULD NOT BE THE END OF PENNY'S STORY.

>> THERE WAS SOMETHING IN HER THAT WANTED TO LIVE AND PENNY WASN'T READY TO GIVE UP.

SO WE WEREN'T EVER GOING TO GIVE UP ON HER.

>> THE ARROW FUND PAID FOR PENNY'S MEDICAL CARE AND TURNED TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND A FOSTER HOME WHERE SHE COULD RECOVER.

THAT'S WHERE LINDSAY PETES AND HER HUSBAND CAME IN.

>> WE LOOKED AT THE POST.

WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER WE LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER AND GOT THE COMPUTER OUT AND APPLIED TO FOSTER HER.

>> IN HER NEW FOSTER HOME, PENNY HAD TO BE SEDATED FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR SO HER BODY COULD RECOVER.

SHE WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN IN TERMS OF HER SURGERIES BUT HER SPIRIT WAS SO, SO RESILIENT AND YOU COULD JUST SEE THAT AND THAT'S WHY WE ALL WANTED TO FIGHT FOR HER BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO BE HERE.

>> PENNY HAS EVEN MOTIVATED OTHERS TO FIGHT FOR OTHER ABUSED ANIMALS.

>> WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE OVER 60 STUDENTS THE PAST TWO YEARS TO OUR STATE CAPITOL IN FRANKFORT AND THEY HAVE STOOD BESIDE HER AND THEY HAVE SPOKEN IN THE ROTUNDA TO LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE NEED FOR STRICTER ANIMAL ABUSE LAWS.

>> WHETHER SHE IS AT THE CAPITOL, SCHOOL OR HOME, PENNY HAS A WAY OF INSPIRING THOSE AROUND HER.

>> PENNY IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE DON'T GIVE UP.

>> YOU ARE BEING SO GOOD.

>> SHE SEES THE GOOD IN THE WORLD AND SHE IS THE GOOD IN THE WORLD.

>> GOOD CHEESIERS.

YAY!

PENNY B!

>> WELL, OUR GUEST TODAY IS AN AMERICAN HUMANE HERO DOG HIMSELF, AND POSSIBLY THE MOST FAMOUS AROUND HERE AT LEAST.

ETHAN ALMIGHTY IS IN STUDIO WITH US TODAY.

ALONG WITH HIS OWNER JEFF CALLAWAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> NO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> WE APPRECIATE IT.

SO THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES, BUT ETHAN'S HAS REALLY TOUCHED SO MANY PEOPLE.

GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING AND TELL US ABOUT ETHAN'S STORY.

>> SO ETHAN WAS DUMPED IN THE PARKING LOT OF AN ANIMAL SHELTER HERE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

AND JANUARY 2021, HE HAD BEEN SORT OF LEFT THERE TO DIE.

SOMEONE KNEW WHERE HE WAS AT AND WENT AND TOOK HIM THINKING THEY WOULD HELP HIM AND THEN REALIZED THIS DOG WOULD DIE IN THEIR HOUSE.

THEY DUMPED HIM IN THE PARKING LOT.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF THEY PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED BUT THEY DIDN'T.

BUT IT'S SORT OF THE FIRST RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS THAT REALLY SAVED HIS LIFE, WITHOUT SOMEONE BRINGING HIM THERE, HE WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT.

AND THEN THERE WAS A COUPLE THAT WAS HAD THEIR SON WITH HIM DROPPING OFF DONATIONS TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND HE SAW ETHAN IN THE PARKING LOT AND POINTED IT OUT TO HIS MOM AND DAD AND THEY STOPPED AND CALLED AND THEY RUSHED HIM OUT AND BROUGHT HIM BACK IN AND THE LITTLE BOY'S NAME WAS TATUM.

THANKS TO TATUM, YOU KNOW, ETHAN MAY NOT HAVE MADE IT BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANOTHER CAR THAT WENT THROUGH THE PARKING LOT FOR COUPLE HOURS AND IT WAS REALLY COLD THAT DAY.

>> SET THE SCENE.

WE HAVE PICTURES, TOO, OF ETHAN AND I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE GRAPHIC TO LOOK AT, ESPECIALLY YOU SEE HIM HERE TODAY AND HOW BIG AND HEALTHY HE IS.

BUT TO SEE THOSE PICTURES OF HIM JUST SKIN AND BONES, ON A COLD, COLD NIGHT IN JANUARY, JUST REALLY LEFT TO DIE.

>> IT STILL GIVES ME CHILLS TO THINK ABOUT-- AND THE ONLY REASON I CAN EVEN LOOK AT THEM IS BECAUSE I KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS.

I KNOW HOW IT'S PROGRESSING AND THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO.

BUT HE WAS, YOU KNOW, ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, THAT VETS WILL GIVE ANIMALS, HE WAS BELOW A 1.

THEY GAVE HIM LESS THAN A 10% CHANCE TO LIVE.

YOU KNOW, THEY CALLED ME AND SAID HEY, CHECK THE CAMERA.

SOMEONE JUST DROPPED A DEAD DOG OFF IN THE PARKING LOT.

SEE IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHO IT WAS.

I RUSHED AND LOOKED AT THE CAMERA.

FOUND A CAR BUT WERE NEVER ABLE TO PINPOINT A LICENSE PLATE OR WHO IT WAS.

BUT THE RUMOR MILL AND SHELTER WAS THAT HE WAS ALIVE SO I POPPED MY HEAD INTO THE VET AND THEY HAD HIM WORKING ON THE TABLE AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM.

AND I JUST KIND OF KNEW HE WAS MY DOG.

THAT INSTANT.

THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT I AM HIM AND I STARTED ASKING ABOUT HIM.

THEY SAID HE IS NOT DOING WELL.

A GOOD CHANCE HE WON'T MAKE IT.

I SAID I DON'T CARE.

HE'S MINE.

>> YOU WERE A WORKER THERE.

>> FACILITY GUY WORKING THERE.

AND IT WAS JUST-- I SAW THOUGHT THIS DOG, IT'S OBVIOUS THIS DOG IS-- NO ONE HAS LOVED THIS DOG AND CARED FOR HIM LIKE HE NEEDED TO BE AND BEFORE HE PASSES AWAY, HE IS GOING TO KNOW THAT SOMEBODY CARES ABOUT HIM.

I SAID WHAT CAN I DO?

THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO.

THEY SAID IF YOU WANT TO COME IN AT NIGHT TIME AND TAKE CARE OF HIM.

SOMEONE NEEDS TO COME IN AT NIGHT TIME, CLEAN HIM UP.

I VOLUNTEERED AND THE NEXT TWO WEEKS I WOULD COME IN AT NIGHT TIME FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS, AND GIVE HIM HIS MEDICATION, FEED HIM, CLEAN HIM UP, TAKE HIM FOR A WALK AND YOU KNOW, WE WOULD PLAY LITTLE GAMES.

I WOULD HIDE THINGS, JUST TO GET HIS MIND GOING BECAUSE I COULD TELL THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS MIND WAS AS INJURED AS HIS BODY WAS.

WE WOULD GO OUTSIDE AND HE WOULD JUST WANDER AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE DOING AS MUCH AS WE COULD TO GET HIM HEALING PROPERLY, AND THANKFULLY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE GRACE OF SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOOD AT THEIR JOBS, HE MADE IT AND YOU KNOW, WE ADOPTED HIM.

MY FAMILY ADOPTED HIM ON MARCH 10.

AND I SORT OF STARTED HIS SOCIAL MEDIA OR KEPT IT GOING BECAUSE HE HAD GAINED SO MANY FOLLOWERS THROUGH THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

AND I REALLY JUST WANTED TO LET ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAD SUPPORTED HIM THROUGH THAT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN HE WAS GETTING BETTER, TO CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING AND HOW HE WAS AND WHAT HE WAS UP TO.

AND IT SORT OF JUST TOOK OFF.

THE FIRST SORT OF THING I NOTICED, OKAY WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THIS WAS BUSCH BEER MAKE A DOG BREW, BONE BROTH AND THEY WERE DOING A CONTEST WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO NAME THE CHIEF TASTING OFFICER AND I ENTERED HIM IN THIS CONTEST MOSTLY BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE HIS PICTURE ON THE WEBSITE.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL.

AND HE LIKE WON BY-- IT WASN'T NECESSARILY A VOTING CONTEST BUT EVERY TIME THEY WOULD POST A DOG, THEY WOULD GET MAYBE 10, 20 COMMENTS OR 120 LIKES OR SOMETHING.

THEY WOULD POST IT AND HE WOULD HAVE LIKE 3,000, 4,000 COMMENTS.

AND 7,000, 8,000 LIKES AND I THOUGHT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP EVEN MORE ANIMALS OUT WITH THIS.

AND THEN I ENTERED HIM INTO THE AMERICAN HUMANE HERO DOG AWARDS, REALLY AGAIN THINKING IT WOULD BE COOL TO SEE HIS PICTURE ON THEIR WEBSITE AND IS THERE SOME WAY HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO WIN THE NATIONAL SHELTER HERO DOG.

HE WON THAT AND I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO WAY POSSIBLE HE COULD WIN THIS WHOLE THING AND HE JUST HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LOYAL FOLLOWERS WHO HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH HIM, EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER MET HIM RIESSMENTS.

IT'S REALLY EXTRAORDINARY THE COMMENTS I READ ON THERE HOW HE HAS AFFECTED THEIR LIVES IN SOME WAY.

AND THEY HAVE NEVER MET HIM.

IT'S JUST FROM SEEING HIS STORY AND HIS RESILIENCE AND HIS WILLINGNESS JUST TO TAKE ANOTHER BREATH, AND TO KEEP LIVING.

SO AND NOW IT'S JUST MOVED ON AND SORT OF CONTINUED TO GO AND WE HAVE DONE SOME AMAZING THINGS AND HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP OUT SO MANY MORE ANIMALS.

>> SPEAKING OF.

LET'S TALK ABOUT ETHAN'S LAW.

HOW DID YOU-- I MEAN GETTING INTO CREATING NOT ONLY CREATING LEGISLATION, GETTING LEGISLATION PASSED... >> IS A FRUSTRATING PROCESS.

>> IT IS A PROCESS.

SO WHAT MADE YOU FIRST WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS WAY AND THEN TELL ME HOW THAT PROGRESSED.

>> SO, HE WAS FOUND IN 2021.

SO I HAD A COUPLE FOLKS REACH OUT TO ME IN 2021 THAT SAID, HEY, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS TORTURE BILL PASSED.

FOR LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND WE THINK MAYBE THIS STORY COULD HELP.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING?

SO I WENT FROM THAT BEGINNING, NOT EVEN KNOWING HOW A BILL EVEN GOT PASSED.

OR HOW IT WAS EVEN CREATED AND IT SORT OF STARTED.

AND EACH YEAR WE JUST DID A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THE FIRST YEAR WE PUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO HAVE PEOPLE CALL AND SEND EMAILS.

THE NEXT YEAR THE BILL WAS REWRITTEN A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THERE WAS A WONDERFUL LADY OUT OF WESTERN KENTUCKY, DEE ROBINSON WHO WROTE THE BILL AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT PROGRESSED TO THE FIRST YEAR IT DIDN'T EVEN GET CALLED.

THE NEXT YEAR, THEY CALLED IT AND SOMEONE SORT OF YELLED OUT IN EXCITEMENT AND THEY IMMEDIATELY WITHDREW IT AND NEVER CALLED IT AGAIN.

THE THIRD YEAR IT PASSED THE HOUSE.

BUT DIDN'T GET CALLED IN THE SENATE.

AND SO WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN THE SUMMERTIME MEETING WITH DIFFERENT SENATORS, JUST ASKING WOULD YOU VOTE FOR THIS IF IT CAME UP.

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT IT?

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?

AND TO A PERSON, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE IT.

FIND SOMEONE GOOD IN THE HOUSE THAT CAN INTRODUCE IT AND WE FOUND REPRESENTATIVE SUSAN TYLER WOOTEN.

AND IT WAS VETTED THROUGH THE HOUNDSMAN, FARM BUREAU, AKC, THE KENTUCKY GAME FOWLERS ASSOCIATION.

ALL THESE GROUPS.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WOULD NOT OPPOSE IT.

WE DIDN'T NEED THEM TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT IT.

THEY JUST NEEDED TO NOT OPPOSE IT.

IT WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT CATS AND DOGS.

SUSAN AND I WENT TO TESTIFY TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE JUDICIARY AND THERE WERE TWO THINGS THAT BECAME VERY IMPORTANT.

ONE WAS THE BILL NEEDED A FACE AND A STORY.

AND YOU CAN SAY ALL THE STATISTICS ALL THAT YOU WANT.

BUT UNTIL YOU GET A FACE AND A STORY WITH SOMETHING, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

AND THE OTHER BIG DIFFERENCE WAS BEING ABLE TO RELATE TO EVERYONE THAT THE PERCENTAGES OF OVERWHELMING.

WAY OVER 90% OF PEOPLE WHO COMMIT A VIOLENT CRIME AGAINST A PERSON STARTED WITH AN ANIMAL.

AND IF WE CAN CATCH THOSE PEOPLE AND GET THEM OUT OF THE STREETS EARLIER, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR AN ANIMAL BILL, IT IS GOING TO MAKE YOUR STREETS SAFER WHEREVER YOU ARE AT IN KENTUCKY.

THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT GOT CALLED THIS PAST SESSION IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND PASSED.

AND BECAME EATS I'VE I'VE ETHAN'S LAW AND WE BROUGHT 150 PEOPLE TO FRANKFORT FOR THE BILL SIGNING IN JULY.

AND AS I WAS TALKING WITH YOU BEFORE, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU EVEN HAVE TO HAVE THE LAW TO BEGIN WITH.

BUT ONCE IT'S THERE, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REACHING OUT TO SAY HEY, THIS IS GOING ON IN MY COMMUNITY.

THIS IS GOING ON IN MY COMMUNITY.

IT'S HEART BREAKING.

AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT TO US.

YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T DO THIS TO PUT ETHAN'S NAME ON SOMETHING.

IT WAS TO GIVE THOSE ANIMALS A NAME.

AND THE REASON YOU KNOW AND EVERYONE KNOWS ETHAN'S NAME IS BECAUSE HE LIVED.

AND SOME OF THESE ANIMALS DON'T.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THOSE ANIMALS A NAME AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STORY IS TOLD.

AND SO WE TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE TO DIFFERENT COURTHOUSES AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE DRIVEN THREE AND A HALF HOURS FOR A TWO MINUTE ARRAIGNMENT BECAUSE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE HIS FACE IN THE COURTROOM BECAUSE WE SHOW UP AND THEY KNOW -- WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.

THEY KNOW WHY WE ARE THERE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE PS OF TAKING CARE OF THE ANIMAL AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT PARTICULAR ANIMAL AND THAT IT GETS PROSECUTED THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD.

AND YOU KNOW, ETHAN'S LAW MAKES THE INTENTIONAL TORTURE OF A CAT OR A DOG A FIRST OFFENSE CLASS D. FELONY NOW IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY INSTEAD OF A MISDEMEANOR.

>> IT USED TO BE... >> A MINOR MISDEMEANOR.

IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE CHARGES FOR ONE PARTICULAR PERSON, THERE WERE SOME TIMES THAT THEY COULD UPGRADE THAT BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT NEVER WAS.

AND A LOT OF TIMES IT WAS JUST UPGRADED SO THEY COULD LOWER IT AGAIN.

AND THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYS WHERE IT'S AT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT AND WE FEEL LIKE THE PEOPLE IN FRANKFORT MADE THE DECISION THAT'S THE WAY THEY WANTED THESE CASES TREATED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF KENTUCKY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S THE WAY IT'S DONE.

>> WELL, I CAN TELL IT MAKES YOU EMOTIONAL TALKING ABOUT IT.

>> YEAH.

>> BECAUSE IT'S PERSONAL TO YOU AND, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, YOU MARY-- YOU HEAR STORIES, PROBABLY MORE STORIES THAN YOU EVEN KNEW EXISTED.

>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, SORT OF MY OPINION, WAS SOME OF THESE THAT WOULD COME UP, THE HARSHEST PUNISHMENT WAS GOING TO BE A MISDEMEANOR SO I THINK SOME FOLKS JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOTHING.

IT'S MAYBE A FINE.

AND SOMETIMES THAT EVEN GOT LOWERED.

AND NOW THAT THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS COULD BE A FELONY, I THINK PEOPLE FIND HOPE IN THAT AND THEY SEND ME STORIES FROM AROUND THE STATE ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN.

AND I THINK IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT.

THOSE ANIMALS DON'T HAVE A VOICE AND SOMETHING INTENTIONAL-- SOME INTENTIONAL HARM CAME TO THEM AND THIS BILL SPECIFICALLY SAYS YOU INTENSIONALLY AND WITH WANTON DISREGARD HURT THIS ANIMAL.

YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING AND YOU DID IT ANYWAY.

THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I THINK WE SHOULD NOT ONLY WORRY ABOUT WITH OUR ANIMALS BUT WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> YEAH IT IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS ABOUT ETHAN THAT PEOPLE DO KIND OF LATCH ON TO?

AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT'S THESE ACTS OF KINDNESS THAT HAVE FOLLOWED HIM THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.

WHY DO YOU THINK HE IS SO INSPIRATIONAL TO SO MANY.

>> I THINK IT WAS SORT OF A-- THE RIGHT STORY AT THE RIGHT TIME.

COVID SOME HAD JUST SORT OF COME AROUND AND PEOPLE WERE NOT GOING TO WORK AND PEOPLE WERE HAVING A LOT OF THEIR RELATIVES GO INTO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY COULDN'T SEE THEM AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WERE PASSING AWAY AND THEY DIDN'T GET TO SAY GOODBYE AND, YOU KNOW, SO MANY PEOPLE WERE STAYING AT HOME.

AND I THINK IT WAS CREATING THIS OVERWHELMING SORT OF DEPRESSIVE SORT OF STATE.

AND ETHAN CAME ALONG AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THROUGH SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACHED TOUT ME ABOUT THEIR STORY, FELT LIKE OH MY GOSH, THERE IS NOT THE USUALLY STORY.

LOOK AT THIS DOG AND EVEN TO THE POINT OF A LADY THAT WAS ON THE VERGE OF COMMITTING SUICIDE AND SHE WAS ON THE WEST COAST.

AND SHE SAW THE STORY.

SHE WAS LAYING IN BED.

AND I'VE TALKED TO HER SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES.

SHE HAD THE PILLS ON THE DISABLE THAT SHE-- ON THE TABLE SHE WAS GOING TO COMMIT SUICIDE WITH AND SHE PICKED UP HER iPAD.

IT WAS FRIDAY JANUARY 29, AND SHE WAS SCROLLING THROUGH AND SOME WAY ETHAN'S STORY POPPED UP ON HER iPAD.

SHE THOUGHT OH MY GOD, THIS DOG HAS BEEN MISTREATED BUT WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL HE IS AND THIS IS A TERRIBLE STORY.

I THINK I'LL JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND SO ETHAN LIVED TO THE NEXT DAY AND SHE LIVED TO THE NEXT DAY AND THEN HE LIVED TO SUNDAY AND SHE LIVED TO SUNDAY.

AND SHE TOLD ME, JEFF, I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR ETHAN BECAUSE HE GOT ME THROUGH.

I WANTED TO SEE HOW THE STORY CAME OUT.

AND I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND SETTED ETHAN COULD HAVE LIVED JUST FOR YOU.

JUST FOR YOU.

SO YOU KNOW, TAKE THAT HOW YOU WILL.

DO WITH IT WHAT YOU WANT.

AND SO I THINK PEOPLE SAW THIS TERRIBLE STORY.

THEY SAW THE CONDITION THEY WERE IN AND HE FOUGHT FOR EVERY BREATH THAT HE COULD GET.

AND HIS VET HAS SAID MANY TIMES ETHAN LIVED BECAUSE HE HAD THE STRONGEST HEART OF ANY DOG SHE HAD EVER SEEN.

HE JUST-- HIS HEART JUST KEPT BEATING NO MATTER WHAT HE WENT THROUGH, HIS HEART JUST KEPT BEATING.

EVEN AFTER WE ADOPTED HIM HE BEGAN TO HAVE SEIZURES AND WE HAD TO TAKE HIM IN FOR TESTING AND THEY FOUND OUT HE HAD LESIONS IN HIS BRAIN CAUSING THE SEIZURES FROM THE DEHYDRATION AND STARVATION AND BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA WHERE THEY HAD BEEN HIT ON THE HEAD.

PEOPLE SAW THAT AND THEY THOUGHT, IF THIS DOG CAN FIGHT THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, WHAT AM I GOING THROUGH?

LIKE I'VE GOT THESE-- I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THESE CANCER TREATMENTS BUT IT'S BETTERS THAN WHAT HE WENT THROUGH AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A STORY THAT OF A LADY THAT STARTED TAKING HER CANCER TREATMENTS AND NOW SHE IS CANCER FREE.

SO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WHAT IS INTERESTING IS JUST THEY INVOLVEMENT OF THIS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND I STARTED POSTING ABOUT HIM, PLEASE DO SOMETHING KIND FOR SOMEONE TODAY.

AND BECAUSE HIS STORY CAME FROM KINDNESS, AND IT SORT OF JUST BECAME SORT OF A MANTRA THAT WAS ALWAYS, WHEREVER WE GO, WE ARE GOING TO SPREAD KINDNESS, WHETHER IT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CALLING OUT AND ASKING IF WE COULD HELP WITH SOMETHING OR CYSTIC FIBROSIS OR ANY ORGANIZATION AROUND THAT SAID THERE MIGHT BE SOME MORE ATTENTION IF ETHAN CAME.

I SAID YES TO EVERYTHING BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT.

AND SO THE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE SEND ME ABOUT LOU THIS PERSONAL CONNECTION THEY HAVE WITH HIM, JUST GIVES ME MOTOR-- MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE TO WANT TO DO MORE.

AND YOU KNOW, THE RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS AND HIS STORY CAME ABOUT FROM SOME FILM MAKERS IN LOS ANGELES WHO REACHED OUT AND SAID WE THINK THIS STORY IS INCREDIBLE.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT MAKING A MOVIE ABOUT THIS?

AND I THOUGHT LIKE, NO.

YOU DON'T THINK THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

THAT SEEMS CRAZY.

AND SO TOMMY MA CLUR WITH MA CLUR FILMS HAS WRITTEN A SCREEN PLAY.

I WOULD SPEND OVER A MONTH'S PERIOD OF TIME.

I WOULD SEND HER PAGES OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND SHE WOULD WRITE IT AND THEN ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH SHE SENT IT TO ME AND SAID I NEVER SEND THESE SCREEN PLAYS TO ANYBODY UNTIL I'M DONE.

AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT SCREEN PLAY SHOWED UP THE SAME DAY THAT HE RECEIVED A TAG FROM THE LADY IN CANADA THAT SAID PLEASE DO SOMETHING KIND FOR SOMEONE TODAY AND ONE ACT OF KINDNESS ON THIS TAG.

AND THE MOVIE IS CALLED ETHAN ALMIGHTY HOW ONE RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS CHANGED THE WORLD.

SO SHE HAS WRITTEN A SCREEN PLAY THAT I'VE LIVED THREW BUT I READ IT AND IT GO ET CETERA ME EMOTIONAL BECAUSE IT TAKES YOU BACK THROUGH HIS WHOLE STORY AND SHE KIND OF WEAVES THE STORIES OF TWO TO THREE DIFFERENT STORIES HOW HIS STORY CHANGED THEIR LIFE.

BUT IT ALSO WEAVES THROUGH THE JOURNEY.

HIS AND I'S JOURNEY AND THE JOURNEY OF GETTING THE LAW PASSED AND SORT OF THE COME NAILINGS OF THE MOVIE-- THE CULMINATION OF THE MOVIE, PEOPLE KNOW HOW IT ENDS, THE LAW PASSES.

SHE IS COMING AND BRINGING HER FILM VIEW TO BARDSTOWN TO FILM THE BARDSTOWN CHRISTMAS PARADE THIS DECEMBER 5 SO THAT WILL BE A REALLY COOL EXPERIENCE.

>> SO THERE WILL BE FILM CREWS IN AND AROUND LOUISVILLE FILMING THIS MOVIE IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR, RIGHT?

>> SO WE'LL FILM-- THEY CAME AND FILMED SOME B ROLL IN JULY IN FRANKFORT, THE BILL SIGNING.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND FILM THE PARADE IN DECEMBER.

AND THEN THEY FOUND MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN AND AROUND BARDSTOWN AND THE OUTSKIRTS OF LOUISVILLE TO FILM ALMOST THE ENTIRE MOVIE.

AND THEY'LL START IN FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRILISH AND THE MOVIE WILL COME OUT NEXT FALL SOMETIME.

>> I MEAN COULD YOU HAVE EVER IMAGINED-- AND WHO IS PLAYING YOU BY THE WAY?

DO WE KNOW?

>> WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

IT WAS FUNNY.

SHE CAME TO ME AT ONE POINT AND SAID, CAN YOU PLAY YOURSELF OR CAN YOU ACT?

I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.

I SAID I CAN ACT LIKE MYSELF.

>> YOU ARE PLAYING YOURSELF.

>> BUT THE POINT WOULD BE BEE WANT THIS MOVIE TO BE, TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.

IT WILL HAVE THE THEE RATTERY CAL-- THEATRICAL RELEASE BECAUSE THE MORE AWARENESS THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE MOVIE BRINGS TO HIM, WHICH ALSO BRINGS US MORE AWARENESS TO THE FOUNDATION THAT WE STARTED IN ETHAN'S NAME.

AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, GIVING BACK AND HELPING.

>> WHICH WE DIDN'T EVEN MENTION.

ETHAN ALMIGHTY'S BLESSINGS, THIS NON-PROFIT.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> I SAW A LOT OF FOLKS AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER THAT HAD TO SURRENDER THEIR ANIMAL OR EUTHANIZE THEIR ANIMAL BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T AFFORD VET CARE AND THAT JUST DIDN'T-- THAT STRUCK ME AS, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR ANIMAL AT HOME WHERE THEY BELONG.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT WAS A PERSON?

AND THERE WAS CARE OUT THERE BUT YOU COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

AND SO I STARTED ETHAN ALMIGHTY'S BLESSINGS BECAUSE BEE WANTED TO HELP PAY FOR VET CARE THAT PEOPLE COULDN'T AFFORD AND WE'VE GOTTEN INTO DOING FREE SPAY AND NEUTER FOR THE COMMUNITY.

MICROCHIPPING, RABIES AND OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS WE'VE HELPED OVER 132 ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY PAY VET BILLS.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

JUST ONE ACT OF KINDNESS.

>> ONE ACT OF KINDNESS, YEAH.

>> GOES A LONG WAY.

>> MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

>> IT DOES.

>> AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING THROUGH.

THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU IN LINE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND SOMETIMES THE ONLY THING THEY NEED IS A KIND WORD AND A KIND ACT AND IT MAY HELP THEM GET THROUGH THE DAY.

>> THAT'S A DOMINO EFFECT.

>> YEAH, YEAH PASS IT ALONG.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> A TRUE INSPIRATION.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ETHAN'S STORY ONLINE.

WE'VE LINKED YOU UP TO THIS EPISODE AND MUCH MORE AT ket.org/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

PLUS DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW US ON GRAM.

THERE YOU CAN SEE THE INCREDIBLE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF ETHAN AND SOME OF THE FUN WE HAD BEHIND THE SCENES WITH HIM, TOO.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE THIS WEEK.

I HOPE WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR INSIDE LOUISVILLE... UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪