My dog of 8.5 years, Flowtron, passed away just days ago after a year-long struggle with brain cancer. I want to honor his memory by raising money to support the shelter that brought him to me, so that they may continue to help other humans find companions. I hope that these connections can bring even a fraction of what I received from my relationship with my own dog - life lessons, the meaning of unconditional love, and the gift of their memories, even after they're gone. After announcing his death, I realized how many lives Tron had touched. Not just people who have met him in person, but also people who had seen him in my videos online. He was the reassuring lab in the corner who brought calm and peace to people as they sweated and pushed themselves. To me, he was the perfect companion. Hikes. Walks. Afternoon naps. Tron was there for me for everything I could ever need, including emotional support, too. His snuggles got me through more stress than I could ever imagine. And he made a better human, too - a better husband, a better father, a better friend and business owner; so if you know me and you've had a positive experience with me in the last few years, you probably have Tron to thank for that. Tron started having issues in August of 2024. For months, Tron struggled with incontinence, dementia, lack of coordination, and severe weight loss. But he kept fighting. He never gave up. It wasn't until months and months later that a proper diagnosis was made, and we were able to have him treated. That bought us two good months with him, where we were able to witness his old self return. He played at Zilker again, doing more running in one hour than he had in the past few months. He once again greeted everyone he encountered enthusiastically, with smiles and a jump. And those two months made those months of suffering worth it. By June 2024, his earlier symptoms started to return. By the end of July, Tron decided it was his time. After being sick and miserable for close to a year, he couldn't do it anymore. Late one night before bed, he looked me in the eyes and told me that he was finished. He didn't want to keep going on like this. With his eyes, he pleaded me to let him go. And a couple days later, I did. I had the privilege of being with him until the end. I held what remained of his once strong, bulky frame, and he leaned into me with everything he had. The intelligent, deep brown eyes that he had once had were opaque and unfocused. He was a shadow of who he used to be, but he was still MY dog. His fur was still soft, and I could feel his love. I felt his reassurance that he loved me. And his readiness for the suffering to end. As I said goodbye, I told him everything that I had already told him in the weeks leading up to that. I love you. I’m sorry for not having more time for you when our son, Delcan, was born. I’m sorry we couldn’t dedicate more time and love to you. I’m sorry for your suffering, you don’t deserve it. And I hoped so much that he loved me back, despite all of the times I wish I had been better. But most of all, I said thank you. Thank you for all of the life lessons you’ve taught me. For making me a better father, friend, husband. For always being there for me, on countless walks and hikes, mid-day naps on the couch, and the constantly accessible emotional support you’ve been since 2014. Tron taught me so much about life. He helped to transform me from a selfish college graduate into a loving father and husband. He taught me about love. And now in death, he has taught me that grief is a reflection of love. And I thank him for that, too. Losing Flowtron has been the most painful expereince of my life. But it has also been one of the most beautiful experiences, because all the pain and anguish that I have felt is a reflection of the immense love that I had for this incredible, special companion. I'm raising money in Tron's name for the Austin Animal Center because I want others to be able to experience what I did with Flowtron. I want them to experience for themselves the incomparable love of a furry companion. And to do that, I want to help Austin Animal Center with the resources it needs to run its operations. I'm raising money to benefit Friends of Austin Animal Center, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause which means so much to me. More information about Friends of Austin Animal Center: Friends of Austin Animal Center supports pets inside Austin Animal Center and the surrounding community. As the city's open-intake shelter, approximately 18,000 animals who are lost or surrendered visit Austin Animal Center each year. As an all-volunteer organization, Friends of AAC bridges the gap between the city shelter and the animals in its care, providing innovative programs to help shelter pets find (and stay) in their forever homes.
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