Christmas arrived early for one Rome resident in New York who, falling ill, was separated from his four-legged best friend, Boomer—but they were reunited thanks to the kindness of a local nurse who went beyond the call of duty. The ailing 60-year-old, John Burley, had been taken to the hospital just before Thanksgiving. Unable to care for his elderly dog, Boomer was taken to the Rome Humane Society, leaving his human owner distraught. Burley had no one to care for Boomer in his absence. No one—except a certain nurse he’d gotten to know while he was a patient at the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Rome, which provides daily adult healthcare programs for the elderly. It was here that he first met nurse Jennifer Smith, 41, and formed a lasting friendship. He would often share photos of Boomer and talk about his furry companion. So, when Burley found himself hospital-bound …