Curitiba, Brazil - A sick patient got a very special and unexpected visitor to his bedside – a horse for healing help.

Audri Espake's father João had been struggling with health problems for the last year and a half. As doctors have tried to help the Brazilian's recovery, he was recently treated to a unique form of therapy.

That's where Paçoca came in.

Paçoca is a therapy horse works with Coletivo Inclusão, a non-profit organization that helps those with special needs.

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When Paçoca paid a visit to João, his daughter captured the moving moment and shared it on Instagram. The clip has since gone viral, and been viewed over 230,000 times.

The horse can be seen nestling against her father's chest, as if sensing exactly what the man needs. He also puts his mouth around João's arm, and is surprisingly gentle.

Tears begin to well up in João's eyes before he begins to break down sobbing.

"It was an indescribable moment," Audri captioned the vid. "It was beautiful."

Health institutions like the Mayo Clinic have reported that interactions with therapy animals can have a huge impact.

"Animal-assisted therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in people with a range of health problems," it said.

"And it's not only people with health problems who reap the benefits. Family members and friends who sit in on animal visits say they feel better, too."

That's exactly the effect Paçoca's visit seems to have had on not only João and his family, but thousands of internet viewers around the world.