DETROIT – Sadie Mae, a corgi who cannot use her hind legs, has captured hearts with her inspiring spirit after running in a dog race at a Detroit Lions game.
Though she didn’t win the race, her determination earned her over a million likes on TikTok.
The story began with a video showing Sadie Mae, who gets around in a wheelchair, participating in the race. The Woolf family traveled from Columbus, Ohio, to Ford Field to enter her in the event, which quickly turned her into an overnight sensation.
“One of the other corgi racers sent it to me and said ‘Look, Sadie’s famous,’” Diana Woolf said. “I went on there and I was shocked by how many views it had gotten and by the overnight it had gotten over a million views, so it was extremely unpredictable of what happened from someone’s random video.”
The viral video spread rapidly across the internet, with the NFL reposting it and the Detroit Lions sharing even more footage of Sadie Mae.
Jim Woolf added, “She may not be the fastest but she’s definitely the brightest.”
Sadie Mae has become a symbol for disabled dogs everywhere, showing that limitations don’t define what’s possible. When she first put on her wheels, it was a transformative moment for her family.
“They say it takes a while to get them going and we took her out to the trail and she took off after some lady just like that. It was instantaneous. Now every time you get the wheels near her she jumps up and down and gets excited,” Diana Woolf said.
In addition to her racing spirit, Sadie Mae is training to be a therapy dog, bringing comfort and joy to others. Her family hopes her perseverance and strength will inspire others to adopt dogs with disabilities.
Jim Woolf said, “She’s got so much life in her and if somebody doesn’t do it then it’s just a waste, she’s just amazing.”