We Are Heartbroken...

It's with great sadness that we had no other choice but to help our boy cross the rainbow bridge.  Max was such a trooper and while he wanted and tried so hard to get better, his body just couldn't overcome the ravages of his epilepsy.  Our hearts and home are feeling the emptiness he left behind.

Max was intended to be Gracie's Diabetic Alert Dog.... but due to circumstances out of his (and our) control, that was just never a role he was able to fully fill.  That doesn't mean his life was without purpose, however.  While he was not able to alert us to Gracie's fluctuating blood sugars, Gracie found a kindred spirit in her Max William.... one that offered her the comfort and strength to face her battles with T1D on a daily basis.  Max was diagnosed with his own disease, epilepsy, at barely a year and a half old; and it was through that very diagnosis that he and Gracie bonded their hearts fully and committed to care for each other.  It was no longer a one way street of Max looking out for his Gracie Girl; now it was this sweet child learning to care for her special boy as well.

Max was our family dog, but he and Gracie shared the same spirit... they were (are) both warriors, strong and fiercely loyal to each other.  I truly don't believe Gracie would be the beautiful person she is today, had it not been for Max William.  He helped her to fully tap into her nurturing spirit and learn to tune into others (both animal and human) and to be strong enough to meet their needs.  It's because of Max, that Gracie is able to be the voice for so many who have no voice otherwise.  This goofy little lab, nothing but a loud bundle of energy, blew into our lives and changed everything... and we are all better because of him.

We seemed to have spent Max's entire life fighting for him, in one capacity or another; some day maybe I'll put pen to paper and write his story so that others can truly see what an amazing little guy he truly was.  Max and Gracie's Grand Adventure....
Through it all, our love for Max and his love for us remained strong and true, right up until the very end.  Max crossed that bridge surrounded by the family that loved and adored him, feeling our fingers  brush his fur and stroke his ears, telling him how loved he was and how very thankful we were to get to call him ours.

There is a song by Francesca Battistelli called Angel By Your Side, it's always been Max and Gracie's song.  You see, Max was Gracie's angel for his entire little life, but Gracie was also his angel; one who sacrificially took care of him right up until his last breath.  While we still find ourselves in tears, missing Max William, we know that he will always be with us in our hearts and we will find a way to honor his memory.

Max William 8/6/2011 - 2/2/2018  #Beloved #Cherished #foreverloved