It had been a long day visiting relatives in Corning, NY and we were all tired from our trip. We walked in the front door and, SURPRISE! Dad was home and he a special guest waiting for us in the sunroom: a large red dog in a huge crate, looking at us, half scared, half hopeful. Such kind eyes!
We all crowded around the cage, but the dog just stayed inside. We gradually were able to coax him out and he scrambled right up into dad’s armchair and looked out at us, which made us laugh. Mom said his name was Rex, he was a “fox red” lab, who had been rescued from first a heavy drug-use home and then a neglectful home that may have been involved in a fire. He had been crated almost 20 hours a day in his short life, and been disciplined by having his beautiful huge paws stomped on. We all fell in love!
The rest is history. Rex has been our comfort, our joy, and our faithful companion. From vacations on the beach to UTV rides on The Mountain, he has always had our backs while tackling his own fears for our sakes. He has chased birds in the waves, gone swimming in Lake Ontario, and stood as a constant guard in the back of the car for 13-hour rides to North Carolina, his regal silhouette a constant in the headlights of oncoming cars.
We all wish we could be the kind of person that Rex is: simply beautiful, inside and out. He is brave, comforting, honest, fun-loving and strong. He gives unselfishly, is always perfectly himself whether it be in quest of treats or in flight from The Fire Song at birthday parties, and can always be found facing out to confront any threats to his family. He’s not above taking a stroll to the boat launch and coming home in a BMW, having a good wrestle on the living room floor and letting the other guy win, or visiting the porch of a neighbor and happily returning home with that neighbor as his personal escort. He is the best friend and jungle gym to all the little dogs in the neighborhood, and is a model of patience, empathy and friendship (well, maybe not for CATS, but nobody’s perfect). He has become a “saint” of a brother to our new puppy, Lucy, and showed her how to earn the love of her family.
To say he will be missed is an understatement. There are no words for what Rex has meant to our family and friends. The memory of his hugs, play, and unconditional love will have to comfort us now.
Rest in peace and comfort, at last, RedDog. You will always be home in our hearts.