‘A perfect fit’ East Lansing girl and her dog share a unique experience

By Tianna Jenkins

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    EAST LANSING, Michigan (WSYM) — Six-year-old Robin Repko and her dog Applesauce’s favorite thing to do is play. “It’s been a wonderful companionship,” her dad, Will Repko, said. “I was very surprised that we would find a dog that was such a perfect fit.”

A fit for a unique situation. Robin was born with some complex birth defects, including Goldenhar Syndrome.

“The right side of her face did not fully develop,” her mom, Brandy Johnson, said. “So, she didn’t develop an ear or hearing on her right side; she’s missing some bones in her mandible.”

Johnson says the syndrome came with other problems.

“She was born with a heart defect called a PDA or a Patent Ductus Arteriosus. Which means that she had an extra channel or valve that was pumping more blood into and from her heart than should be, you know, for a normal kid,” Johnson said.

When she was 18 months old, Robin had her PDA repaired. Fast forward to today, she’s much closer to living a normal life

“She will have a lot of surgeries, so, over the course of her childhood and early adulthood, she’s had seven so far. But one thing we shouldn’t have to worry about moving forward is her heart,” Johnson said.

Which brings us back to Applesauce and a friendship with Robin that’s special. Not just because she’s adorable but because they share an uncommon bond.

“They took her to her first vet appointment and found that she had a heart murmur,” Johnson said. “They found that she indeed had a Patent Ductus Arteriosus, which is what Robin had.”

And once Robin’s dad met Applesauce he knew it was fate.

“I sort of realized that it was a must keep not just because the dog had the same heart procedure that Robin had, but because the dog is just incredibly kind,” Repko said.

You might notice by now that the dog’s name is unique. Her full name is actually Applesauce Quesadilla Johnson. She was named after the two children’s favorite foods. For Robin, it’s applesauce.

“Applesauce was a comforting food when she was going through surgery, and we know that applesauce is gonna be a comforting companion to her as we move forward,” Johnson said.

Applesauce had her surgery back in April of 2023. And vets expect that, like Robin, they will have a normal life and years of playing with her and her brother Kirby.

“We know that she’ll have just a lot of surgical interventions in her future. And with that is just going to cause some pain and recovery, and we hope that applesauce can be her best friend as she continues to progress through her health journey,” Johnson said.

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