My beloved Airedale, Odie, passed away last month, just 3 weeks shy of what would have been his 11th birthday(on November 2nd). Even though his health had been steadily declining for the past several months, Odie’s passing came suddenly and without much warning on that fateful evening in October. That day the temperature felt much more like mid-July than autumn. Odie had been panting incessantly all day. I thought it was the unusual heat causing his discomfort, but my gut told me it was a harbinger of things to come. I try to console myself when I remember that at least he died in his sleep, in the comfort of his home, in his favorite spot …the corner of the living room. I only wish I had some inkling of how close the end was near, so I could have stroked and massaged him one last time, perhaps right before he drew that last breath. Now, every morning and evening when I walk past the living room, I swear I can still hear him breathing or licking his paws.

Odie’s sudden passing has of course, spared his family the agonizing decision of knowing when the right time is “to put him down”. But his absence has ripped such a huge hole in my heart that, as you well know, only time and the adoption of another dog can begin to heal.

That’s why your wonderful book, “Rescuing Sprite” was so timely for me. I had planned to purchase it at the local Barnes & Noble store in the next few weeks. However, the ache of Odie’s passing is still so raw, that I felt compelled to order the book on line through Amazon.com (I was given a delivery date of approximately one week). Well, lo and behold, to my surprise and pleasure, the book arrived much EARLIER…it came on November 2nd, right smack on Odie’s birthday!!!

I’d like to think it was a “gift” from my Odie, smiling down on me and assuring me, by way of your book, that everything will be alright…

Thank you, Mark, for a magnificent story…(I’m half-way through the book). I’ll just end this by echoing your wonderful statement, that yes, in the end, it is we humans who are truly the lucky ones.

God bless you!

Barbara from NJ