Ellie

R.I.P. Ellie (4/24/2016 – 10/02/2023)

Lisa & Ellie, Early June 2016

Ellie in July 2021

Today has been a heartbreaking day. My family and I said goodbye to Ellie. She’s my parents’ golden retriever, but in reality, she’s a family dog. She loved all of us, and we all loved her. Her love for us was truly unconditional. For all intents and purposes, she was my sister, my golden-furred, four-legged sister. And yes, my mom sometimes called me Ellie! J

She’d been feeling unwell for weeks, but none of us knew the extent of how unwell she was. We learned on Wednesday of last week that she was in complete renal failure. She’d likely been sick for awhile, but hid it from us until she just couldn’t anymore. I have a sweet photo of my nephew, Liam, hugging Ellie only a few nights ago. By last night, she couldn’t hold up her own weight. My dad had to carry her into the house. I got to say goodbye this morning, but those goodbyes are always hard.

Ellie was always sassy and full of spunk. You couldn’t brush her without her thinking it was a game, barking at the brush like it was a squirrel she’d spotted. She loved playing fetch using the Chuckit!, but she really loved tennis balls in general. She loved vanilla ice cream. She loved all of us humans, but she especially loved my dad and my nephew. The rest of us were chop suey when either of them was in the room. She didn’t give hugs on the regular, so when she did, you knew she’d missed you a great deal and noticed your absence (as my childhood friend, Kristi, can confirm). We’ll miss her excited whine and her energy and her love. Surely, Lexi has already greeted her in Heaven, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Grandpa Dick has already taken a walk with both of them. We’ll all reunite again someday.

Thank you to the veterinarian who eased Ellie peacefully out of this world with my parents by her side. She lived for all of us!