Chad Tucker, a news anchor in North Carolina, posted a heartbreaking post on Facebook about his dog Otis who passed away after completing a fun-filled weekend bucket list.
“As the sun started setting Sunday, my wife Meredith and I held our sweet, gentle Otis as he slipped away to our creator. We loved on him like he loved on us. We wanted him to pass knowing just how loved he was and we thanked him for the joy he gave us and so many others,” Tucker wrote.
Related: ‘Poh the Dog’s Big Adventure’ Ends: Instagram Dog Famous for Bucket List Passes Away
https://www.facebook.com/chadtucker/photos/a.10150337432065896.342060.74820265895/10153552770795896/?type=3&theater
Otis, a bichon fries and Jack Russell mix, entered Tucker’s life in 2006 — a difficult time for the news anchor.
“Otis was my constant,” he writes, noting the dog came into his world before his wife and now two children. “When I would come home depressed, heartbroken and feeling like a failure there was Otis. He listened to all my troubles and loved me when I didn’t love myself.”
https://www.facebook.com/chadtucker/photos/a.10150337432065896.342060.74820265895/10153552773715896/?type=3&theater
His goofy nature also taught Tucker to laugh, as the dog was mischievous — getting his head stuck in treat jars or falling into the washing machine, as he tried his hardest to get dog biscuits from a shelf.
https://www.facebook.com/chadtucker/photos/a.10150337432065896.342060.74820265895/10153552786175896/?type=3&theater
The dog continued to be by Tucker’s side. Otis was there when he got married to his wife, acting as the ring bearer and “stood in the shadows waging his tail during our first dance.”
When their first child was born, Carson Parry, the special bond the two shared was something else. Otis was Carson’s four-legged companion, riding along in her little car and enjoying countless tea parties.
Related: From Niagara Falls to Making a Snowman, Ailing Dog’s Bucket List Is One to Remember
https://www.facebook.com/chadtucker/photos/a.10150337432065896.342060.74820265895/10153552785060896/?type=3&theater
A few weeks ago, Tucker and his family found out Otis was suffering from various ailments: diabetes, Cushing’s disease, pancreatitis and kidney disease. After spending a week in the animal hospital and no sign of improvement, the family decided to give Otis a weekend bucket list full of his favorite activities before saying goodbye to their beloved pet.
Related: St. Bernard Dying of Cancer Gets a Very Special Last Experience: Her Own Snow Day
The pup had an amazing time, enjoying car rides, picnics, naps under a walnut tree, ice cream and a visit to his favorite bank teller. There was also the one night, they all stayed up until 3 a.m. just holding him. “He loved being loved on,” Tucker writes.
https://www.facebook.com/chadtucker/photos/a.10150337432065896.342060.74820265895/10153552784275896/?type=3&theater
When it was time to say goodbye, Carson Parry got dropped off at a friend’s place. Before leaving her best friend, she whispered to him, “good-bye Otis … see you in heaven.”
Here is the full post:
Related: Women Rescues Dying Dog and Makes Final Days Worth Living For
Main image via Facebook/ChadTucker taken by J&A Photography / Jo Benedict
