Peach's Memorial Tribute:
How do I even begin to write a memorial for Peach when there could never be enough words, nor any powerful enough, to truly honour her memory? For her, I will try my best. She came into this world in the form of a dog, but in truth, she was and always will be my little angel. Peach made me believe in miracles because she was one.
From the day Tim and I picked her up, we sensed there was something incredibly special about her. We had expected her to look the way her brother had at that age, chubby but healthy. Instead, we found a tiny, painfully thin puppy covered in thick yellow glue, with little scabs on her sweet forehead from being picked on by the other puppies in her litter. It was heartbreaking, and we couldn’t get her out of there fast enough. At the time, we believed we were rescuing Peach, but it didn’t take long for us to realize that it was Peach who had rescued us.
By about her third day at home, Peach was sitting on her pink blanket (her favourite colour), wearing her extra-small Barbie sweater. She was so frail that she became cold easily, even though it was the end of August. When Bowser came close to me on the couch, Peach had been so quiet up until that point then let out the most fierce little growl I had ever heard. In that moment, she seemed to tell him, “This is my Mama now, and I’m the alpha.” At first, I worried that Peach and Bowser might never bond, but soon realized that Peach loved him like any little sister would: she stole his bones and bossed him around, but she also brought out a joy in Bowser that only she could. Bowser is a typical English Bulldog and a very sweet couch potato. Even as a puppy, he rarely showed interest in playing, but Peach was determined to bring out that side of him. She would carry one toy after another over to Bowser, trying everything she had until she discovered that the stuffed snakes were his favourite. She would playfully slap it around him until he finally gave in and played with her and whenever he did, he would light up and end up having so much fun. Now, in his senior years, Bowser is struggling with dementia. Before Peach passed, she sensed the changes in him. She began lying closer to him and would gently walk over and place her face against his, to comfort and help him feel safe.
Peach faced many serious health issues throughout her life, yet time and again, she defied the odds. She truly was our Warrior Princess Peach, the bravest fighter, never one to complain, even while living with chronic pain caused by congenital lumbosacral stenosis. She had the strongest will to live. When she was only 6 months old, Peach woke up one morning struggling to breathe. After veterinarians discovered excess tissue in her throat, she underwent emergency surgery, but in the days that followed, she still could not breathe properly and stopped eating. A leading specialist and professor from the University of Calgary was brought in. She explained that Peach also had an unusually narrow airway and that they needed to examine her again while she was under sedation. They prepared us for the very real possibility that, if they could not find another cause, there would be nothing more they could do and we would need to let her go without waking her up. I will never forget before she went under, kissing her forehead, asking her to please come back to me, and pleading with God to help her survive that I would trade every good thing still to come in my life, without hesitation, to have more time with Peach.
During the examination, they discovered that Peach also had laryngeal paralysis, and she underwent a risky throat tie-back surgery. So little, but always so mighty, Peach made it through with her fighting spirit, the grace of God, and the care of an amazing surgeon and team. Still, we were warned that she was not out of the woods yet, and Peach spent days recovering in an oxygen incubator. Because her case was so unusual in such a young puppy, we were also told that she was unlikely to have a long life and that she would probably never bark again. But within days of coming home, a deeper bark came out of her. Peach had figured it out. Of course she had. Because this was Peach, she went on to surpass every expectation and live to the extraordinary age of 13. She believed she had an important job to do: to protect and love her family, especially me.
Beneath all her courage, I knew Peach often felt afraid, but whether she was facing one of her critical health challenges, barking at anyone she felt came too close to me, or warning me about a perceived threat like an Amazon box, she did it anyway. That is what true bravery is. She was also the sweetest girl; she just never liked sharing my attention. That was part of the pure, unconditional love she gave me.
Peach never gave up. Severe bone-density loss meant that her front leg was going to break very soon and could happen just from walking. Though she was already in immense pain, which she always tried so hard not to show, Peach would have kept pushing herself to stay here for us until her bone broke, and that kind of pain would have been excruciating. She spent her entire life protecting me, and the very least we could do was protect her from ever having to endure that. She was the very best girl, and she deserved the most peaceful, loving, and dignified goodbye we could possibly give her.
Mama, Daddy, and Bowser will always miss you and love you, Peach. Thank you for working so hard to protect us and fighting to stay with us for as long as you possibly could. What we want most is for you to be happy, free from pain, and having so much fun in Heaven. We picture you now young with no health issues or allergies, able to enjoy all the delicious foods you could not have here, along with endless amounts of your favourites: peanut butter, apples, rice, and dairy-free ice cream. We picture you breathing easily and running faster than ever as Daddy’s “Peachy Bullet,” chasing your birdie, playing with your Peach Dot, chewing the ears and noses off plastic toys, and surrounded by all your favourite balls that make animal noises. The moment I held your urn for the first time, one of those movement-activated balls made its sound in the distance. Thank you for that gift, Peach. We know it was you.
Thank you for choosing me as your Mama and us as your family. Thank you for filling our home with so much life, for every cuddle, kiss, and bark, for your playful spirit, and for every laugh and happy memory you gave us. You taught me the greatest lessons of my life, right until the end of yours: to be present, to cherish every ordinary yet magical moment, to never forget how quickly time passes, and to always remember that love matters most.
From now on and for the rest of my life, I promise to make you proud by being brave like you always were, always keeping going, and never giving up. I will always strive to be the best person I can be and pray that, when my time naturally comes, I will get to see you again in Heaven.
I love you forever, my little angel.