Our Shea

This past week, we were forced to put our dear Shea Doggy down due to his health issues. We are so grateful that for over 12 years, he provided us with endless joy and companionship...if only doggies could live forever.

It was love at first sight when I had my first glimpse of Shea, a bichon-shih tzu mix. He was in a crate, and I could see his little white and fluffy face with black and brown patches and big black eyes looking back at me through the door. He was the cutest thing I had ever seen.

We were bringing this little puppy into our chaotic family life at the request of Matthew, David’s son, who returned from college for cancer treatment. He named him Shea (rhymes with May), being the New York sports fan that he was, for Shea Stadium.

Shea quickly began to transform our lives in unimaginable ways. We went from 2 families with 5 teenagers under one roof with everyone focusing on themselves to all hanging out and loving the same dog. Whether watching him from a distance or snuggling him, he made everything better, creating a serene vibe that we appreciated and acknowledged. Making us feel at peace was Shea’s superpower.

When Matthew passed, Shea’s presence became even more crucial for David, with Shea acting as the bridge for life with Matthew to life without Matthew. Now that Shea is gone, I know David is struggling with the gaping hole of not being able to curl up with his best buddy throughout the day and spoon him to his (David’s) heart’s content.   

As for me, I long for that bedtime routine when he would sleep on my legs or nuzzle into my feet, always keeping me warm and cozy on cold winter nights. Even though I often couldn’t fully stretch my legs and they’d cramp up, there was something very sweet and comforting knowing our boy was right there, where I could even feel him breathing.

Our house is so quiet and seems so empty without him.