Today is a sad day for me. It has officially been 2 years since we brought Brady home from the hospital, which also means it's officially been 2 years since I said goodbye forever to the best friend I ever had--my Yorkie Kasey. Yes, he died the day I brought home my son, it was devastating and I still mourn him almost daily.
We got Kasey in 1996 as a puppy when I was just 12 years old. I wanted a dog so badly, and one day my mom finally gave the "ok." Excitedly, I ripped into the newspaper classifieds to find Yorkie puppies for sale. I knew I wanted a Yorkie because our neighbor at the time had one, and I loved him! My parents liked that he didn't shed, so it seemed like a good fit. We found one listing, a breeder in York, PA. I called right away, I wanted to see if they had any girl puppies because I wanted a girl. "We have one girl left and two boys," she said, "but you better come soon because another family is coming now and they want a girl too."
When we got there, the girl was gone, and one of the two males left had been spoken for. "This is the only one left. These are "burgundy" Yorkies, which means they will always be redder in color. It's a genetic defect," the breeder said. At this point I had spent just about my entire life desperately wanting a dog (we had a bad experience with cats), so I didn't care. "I want him!" I exclaimed.
Home he came with us. We named him "Kasey", after the poem "Casey At the Bat" (don't ask me why, Casey was not a nice guy in that poem!). I stayed up nights with him those first days home because he was missing his parents. I took him on walks and carried him halfway home when he got tired. I nursed him through injuries, seizures and in one awful mistake on my part--a flea-medicine overdose. I spent the next 15 years of my life loving him, and receiving his unconditional love in return. We grew up together, he was there with me and there for me through it all.
Everyone says this about their dearly departed dogs, but Kasey was truly one of a kind. He was the smartest dog I've ever known. Everyone that knew him knew that. He had a way of looking at you when you spoke that made you know he understood what you were saying. He loved treats, people food, taking walks, comfy pillows and squeaky toys. He protected his house and his people ferociously, even though he was only 9 pounds. He moved everywhere I ever went with me, he was my constant companion. He followed me to the bathroom in the middle of the night so as not to lose sight of me.
When I was on bed rest before Brady was born, I watched him deteriorate. At age 15, I knew it was only a matter of time. His health was failing, but to this day I know that he waited to see me get home from the hospital, to know that I was safe and that "our" baby was safe to say goodbye. He heard Brady cry one time before he left us forever, and even though he was nearly 100% deaf, I saw his ears rise up to hear the sound.
I love you, and I miss you, Kasey. I will until the end of my days. You were the best friend I ever had, and nobody will ever take your place. I think about you every day, and I hope that you are up there running free, without pain, and eating all the steak you want.
Until we meet again, my dearest friend...
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| "Santa VB". I called him "VB" for short. He loved Christmas like a child! He opened presents on his own every year. |
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| With his buddy Bradley at the Enola house |
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| Sticking his nose out the window riding in the car to "Grandmas". His fave thing. Even at age 14 he could still do it. |
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| His last trip to hunting camp. He loved it there. No boundaries or rules, he could run free! |
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| On a hike. Despite his size, he was an awesome hiking dog!! He would run way up ahead of us, and then consistently run back to check on me every couple of minutes. |
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With me in my childhood bedroom in 2008 before we both moved out for the last time. He never left my side, at night he slept between my legs no matter how big the bed was.
With me on Christmas Eve, 2009
With his 2nd favorite person, his "manfriend" who gave him heaps of table scraps every day, took him for walks and let him roam the neighborhood at will without a chaperon. :) |
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The last picture I ever took of him. I knew the end was near, his age became obvious.
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Kasey Lewis
Jan. 13, 1996 to Aug. 22, 2011
Rest in Peace, Loyal Friend.
