Just before I was diagnosed with cancer we’d purchased a Briard male named Coolidge. He was the wildest, most rambunctious puppy I’d ever had and my wife was concerned about having him around when I came home from the hospital. After 33 rounds of radiatiion, 3 rounds of chemo, and the loss of 32% of my body weight I was very weak. However, the wild and reckless puppy that we thought we’d never train would let me hold on to his back everyday and slowly lead me up the stairs so I could make it to bed without falling. He would lay at the foot of my bed until I wanted to get up then he would slowly and patiently walk me back down the stairs, with me holding onto his back all the way, to make sure I made it safely.

He was till wild and randy when he got the chance but he was always gentle and patient with me through my illness. Coolidge is still a great dog.

– Mark from VA

My wife has pursuaded me to get three dogs since we have been together: Moe, a pug from the DFW Pug Rescue, Connor a Scottie Mix from Operation Kindness and Otter a Corgi mix from The Frisco Humane Society. All three dogs were against my will and all three quickly became beloved members of our family.

We adopted Moe first, I wasnt all that opposed to him, except that after we adopted him, I realized he snored all the time. It didn’t matter if he was sleeping, eating, playing or whatever, he was snoring because of an abnormality with his soft palate. This quickly went from annoying to soothing and it was hard for Kate and I to sleep at first when we would go out of town and be away from him. Moe loved the sun and would lay out on the patio on his back and soak it up or in Kate’s garden. If he were in the house and there was a small patch of sunlight coming in through the window, you can bet that is where he was. From the first day we adopted him, it was clear he was a “momma’s boy” and followed Kate around where ever she went. He loved her very much and the feeling was mutual.

About a year after we adopted Moe, we adopted Connor. He was brought into the veterinary clinic where Kate worked by Operation Kindness because he had a crooked foot and they wanted it checked. I was more apprehensive about getting him simply because I didnt think we needed a second dog. However, Kate pleaded, so we compromised and adopted him. He quickly became “my” dog since Moe was more attached to Kate and I was soon very thankful that we had him. He and Moe became fast friends and played together non-stop. (more…)

Angel in the Post Office (Letter Mark read on air)

This is one of the kindest things I’ve ever experienced.

I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul
working in the dead letter office of the US Postal service.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.

She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when
Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that
I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday
and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith.

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. (more…)

In Memory of Sprite for You:

During many years as funeral director, I talked to numerous people and groups about grief and the loss of a dear friend. Hearing or reading others’ words can provide both a helpful insight into the experience as well as comfort.

Phillips Brooks, who only lived 58 years from 1835 to 1893 and who composed “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” wrote these words to a friend in 1891 on the death of his mother:

May I try to tell you again where your only comfort lies? It is not in forgetting the happy past. People bring us but miserable consolation when they tell us what time will do to help our grief. We do not want to lose our grief, because our grief is bound up with our love and we could not cease to mourn without being robbed of our affections. In our grief, we are not trying to forget, but striving to remember.

Jack from Illinois

Some years ago my precious 3 year old poodle Candy died while giving birth. I too was so crushed because I felt responsible for mating her. I loved her so much that I wanted more of her. I mourned deeply and cried constantly, so much so that I became physically ill. When I went to my doctor I asked him, “Why am I mourning so deeply for my dog when I didn’t for some people in my family who have passed.”  What he told me has been with me since then. He said I had allowed myself to cry and mourn unabashedly, not worrying or caring that I have to hold myself together for anyone else’s sake.                        

Anna from Florida

Hi Mark,

I just wanted to share with you I too had a lost this past Christmas, I had a beautiful mastiff-Boxer mix dog his name was Zeus, he was only 3 years old and we adopted him at the shelter and took him home he was loved – he never barked but once his whole time he was with us but his appearance spoke volumes in power and strength, he grew up with our new born daughter who he was a genital lamb with her even though he was 3x her size….the funnies moment I ever had was when my daughter was 1 her would pull on him and play on him at his bed and he would just sit there as though he knew she loves him….(sorry)…well I turn my back to walk away from them and I hear my daughter starting the fuss like she was frustrated so I turned around and my dog had sat up just enough for her to lay flat on his bed and he sat down just enough to hold her down as though he had enough looking right at me like a old sibling would do to a younger, I laughed with tears of joy at that site and I will never forget him…
He had to be put to sleep because he never got better from his past owner and the kennel as he developed e-coli in the marrow of his bones, we spend over $6,000.00 to try and save his life, it was hear breaking and torture…finally my wife said her goodbyes on that sat morning in January of this year and I had my daughter kiss him and tell him goodbye even though she had no idea what was going on and I took her to my mothers….before I built up the courage to take Zeus to the vet I held him, cried my eyes out and said goodbye, I have owned dogs all my life and I have never had to put them down they would just pass with old age…as I was thinking of the books I read “Old yeller” and “where the red fern grows” it made me wish it was a story and everything would be ok…

well sad to say Zeus is gone, but after a “Gunny pug (my daughter calls it)” and a pet fish my wife, daughter and I have added a new member to the family his name is Pele’ who is a jet black Cockerpooh with one black spot under his chin and chest, he is not Zeus but he has brought joy to our home again……

– Aaron