Once upon a time, there was a dirty little fur ball scampering the ominous streets of Farmers Branch, Texas. After being hit by a car and breaking her leg, the dog catcher brought her to the shelter. The shelter brought her to their vet, Dr. Terry Ford. They showed him the leg and asked him to amputate. Dr. Ford refused. He knew he could save the leg. He also knew this dog was special. Her sunny disposition and wagging tail triumphed over her pain. After a successful surgery, he wanted to find this miniature poodle mix a forever home… so she called up the Marshall family.
The Marshalls immediately agreed to make this puppy part of their family, giving her a forever home! They called her Lucy, and fell in love with this smart, personable, loving, independent 11 pound miniature poodle mix who brought such joy into our lives.
We may have helped Lucy go from rags to riches, but she was the one that gave us the true gift. Sadly, Lucy passed away on November 22, 2022 from pancreatitis. She’ll be forever missed in our hearts. Here is my letter of gratitude, thanking Dr. Ford for bringing Lucy into our lives…
Dear Dr. Ford,
Immediately, you spotted the magic in Lucy; a stray, injured pup with a wagging tail. I’m sure you wished you could have been there for Lucy’s passing. Please know, your loving presence was with us as we released Lucy’s spirit back to Jesus.
A big thank you from the bottom of our hearts to Dr. Finney and Dr. Dammacci for doing everything in their power to restore Lucy to health. Your entire staff was extremely accommodating and empathetic with Lucy, and us as well.
Sadly, I have put down 2 service dogs whom I dearly loved. And, even though Temecula and Jill were fabulous, nothing can compare to the heartache of losing Lucy.
Lucy was SPECIAL. A social butterfly, she loved interacting with people, yet she also enjoyed her solitude, napping under a dark bed. She always brought smiles to our faces and laughter to our bellies as her short, little legs zoomed around the house. Lucy demonstrated patience, sitting calmly as she waited for her food to be poured. She reminded us to be kinder to one another, and how to find joy every day. Her unconditional love touched each one of us in a different way.
With reverent respect for dad’s large, pack leader presence, she slowly melted his heart by curling up on his lap every morning to get a good scratchin’. At night time, she would politely command him to give her a yummy treat. It was the first genuine bond I had ever seen my dad create with a dog.!
Mom was Lucy’s person. Every morning, Lucy looked forward to mom’s enthusiastic greeting, almost as much as her morning walk and feeding. Mom talked to her, played with her, toileted, fed, trained, and rocked her like a baby. I don’t know who was more content.
We called her, “The Supervisor”. She kept a vigilant watch over our house, especially when it came to the diabolical mailman. Ya know, he comes EVERY DAY!
My self-proclaimed protector, she escorted me from one room to another, effortlessly navigating the wheelchair like she was directing a boat into a dock. The supervisor always had one eye on me, and I loved it!
Lucy was my touchstone. Both a physical and a spiritual bond connected us. Sharing the commonality of a left broken hip and slipped discs, she empathetically felt my pain. Aches and pains that she relentlessly tried to lick away in order to comfort me. Her dark brown eyes stared through my soul. She knew what I was thinking and why I was thinking it. Reciprocally, she knew I had her back at every turn.
Were you aware that Lucy was Catholic? When watching mass on TV every Sunday during the pandemic, no matter where Lucy was, albeit in another room or under the bed, she would dash out and greet us during the sign of peace. Showing her sign of peace through joyous barks and kisses.
Lucy was the rescue, who in a sense, rescued us. Thank you for bringing this ray of sunshine into our lives. She brightened every day and was such a gift to each of us. One that we didn’t even know we needed. Now, our light has dimmed, yet we will forever carry her sweet little soul in the warmth of our hearts.
And finally, Lucy thanks you, Dr. Ford, for gifting her to us. She was grateful to be part of our Marshall family. She showed us every day. We know she is in heaven, and that we will see her once again… with her paws crossed. Lucy’s signature trademark.
Love and gratitude always,
❤️🐾❤️
Laurie,
Mary Ann and Dave ,
and Lucy Marshall
We know we can never replace Lucy. We pray that, once again, we are blessed with another rescue dog with the same sparkle in her eye! …all in Strides of Faith.
The End
