another one...

In 1989 just as my sophmore year of High School was starting my dog, Heidi, was getting sick. We had had this dog since I was in I think second grade. She was my best friend and I loved her beyond words. I did everything with this dog...even sharing my popsicles, etc... Wayne let us bring her when we moved into his house and she was special.
We all watched her get sicker and sicker until she could no longer really lift her head up and laid there shaking.

I remember one day my mom came to pick me up from work on a weekday, which just never happened. When I got in the car she told me that Wayne had taken Heidi to the vet. They told him that she was in kidney failure.

Now first, I was surprised because he took her to the vet. I just couldn't believe it. What came next though is what really hit me hard....
Mom said that Wayne had offered to take her back if I wanted him to and pay to have her put on IV's and try to have the kidney failure reveresed. It was expensive but he was offering, or they would go with me to have her put down.

I don't remember if I cried, but I remember that I wanted to. I could not believe that Wayne would care so much about my dog. That meant so much to me!

I chose to have Heidi put down but I asked my dad to go with me since he was the one who got her for us and I was closer to him. Dad and I would go the next day.

Even though I chose this, Wayne built Heidi a coffin! I remember it...he made it out of wood and the lid hinged. It also had a latch so you could lock it.

That night, in the middle of the night, Heidi died in my bed.
I cried and cried. I didn't want to have to wake up my mom and Wayne so I tried to pick her up with the plastic bag Wayne had for the inside of the coffin. I couldn't do it. I called my dad (he lived an hour away) and cried to him on the phone.... Mom heard me and came downstairs. Either she or Wayne picked Heidi up and put her in the coffin. Then took her out to the garage.

She was buried the next day. I will never forget Wayne's kindness through that time. I am still amazed that he did all this for me. That was 18 years ago and I still tear up thinking about it. Wayne has a heart of gold!!