Wink is a beagle/jack russell mix who has gone through severe hardship and managed to come out on the other side with his natural friendliness and playfulness intact. 
A year ago, Wink was kicked in the face by his former owner hard enough to rupture his eye and cave in his sinuses. After the owner left him at the local animal shelter to be euthanized,  Jacki Armstrong of Noah’s Animal Refuge Center rescued him and financed a two-month long vet stay that included the removal of his eye.
Kim Smith, a Jackson resident and MSU graduate, found Wink online and said she knew instantly this was the dog she wanted to adopt. Soon after, she went to the shelter to meet him.
“I quickly realized his condition was much worse than I thought it was,” Smith said. 
She then decided to use skills she gained with her public relations degree and launched Wink’s Wish, a fundraising campaign to finance the rest of Wink’s medical needs, with the help of her sister Christi Gardner.
“My wish for this special puppy is simply (for him) to breathe like other dogs,” Smith said on Winkswish.org.
Smith said the preliminary scope of his injuries at the MSU Animal Medical Center cost $1000, and it was uncovered that on top of not being able to breathe properly, Wink also has an infection that must be addressed. 
“He is not in pain, but he is uncomfortable,” Smith said. 
The ‘dogged’ dog had an eventful day Monday when he visited MSU’s campus to meet various MSU sport teams before checking into the MSU vet school. 
“The attention and support we received from the basketball and softball teams was amazing,” Smith said. “We were nervous when we arrived at first but went home in peace.”