Chris Espinosa is officially Employee Badge #8. When Apple went public in 1980, Steve Wozniak gave him 2,000 personal shares under the 'Woz Plan' That would be worth over $100 million today.
When asked why he never left, he famously said:
"I was here when we turned the lights on. I might as well stick around until we turn the lights off."
"Filmed four days ago at Memorial Hospital in Seattle, Washington.
Eight days ago, Officer Ryan Mitchell, 32, Seattle PD K9 Unit, and his six-year-old Belgian Malinois partner Atlas responded to an armed robbery call. Mitchell was shot twice in the shoulder and side. Atlas stood over him growling at everyone even paramedics until they convinced him they were helping.
Mitchell survived surgery but spent eight days in ICU. The department pushed hard for a hospital exception, explaining Atlas had been inconsolable - refusing food, refusing other handlers, just pacing and crying. The hospital agreed to one visit.
Footage shows Mitchell bandaged in bed as Officer Garcia brings Atlas in on leash. Atlas stops completely, staring, like he can't believe what he's seeing. Mitchell extends his arm: "Come here, buddy." Atlas breaks into a careful run, jumps onto the bed, and lies down across Mitchell's chest, deliberately avoiding his injuries. Mitchell wraps both arms around him and cries. Atlas presses his head under his chin and stays perfectly still.
"We've never allowed a K9 in ICU before," Mitchell's doctor told us. "But that reunion made me understand why we had to. That dog needed to see his partner alive and breathing."
Atlas refused to leave the bed after his hour-long visit - it took twenty minutes to coax him down. Mitchell goes home to Atlas next week.
Sometimes your K9 partner stands guard over you when you're down, and all you need is to hold each other again.