In Memory of One of Us

John O'Neill was one of us - someone who loved his pets dearly. A short while ago, he lost his dog Idaho Jack, a terrier (pictured with John here), while out on a walk. Idaho Jack broke free from his leash and was hit by a streetcar on their busy street. John was inconsolable about the accident. He blamed himself, and wasn't able to talk about it to his family and friends.

A couple of weeks ago, he made a step forward by adopting Cappy. With the prior tragedy still very much on his mind, he worried about Cappy's safety in the busy City. Still, he was diligent in making sure they got out for their daily walk. On their walk last Thursday night, Cappy also broke free of his leash. In what must have been terrifying for John to once again witness, he saw his new dog race into traffic and run down similar streetcar tracks. He ran after Cappy, caught him, and was, perhaps, breathing a sigh of relief that this tragic history wouldn't repeat itself. However, John didn't see the streetcar coming from the other direction until one last, split second moment. It was in that small time frame that he released Cappy, who cleared the streetcar, but John was hit and killed.

As I read this story, I remembered the times I've had my thoughts consumed by a traumatic experience, and how it clouded my ability to pay attention to what I needed to do in the present. I've been lucky in that the results of these experiences have not endangered my life, but it's easy to extrapolate and know that it's only by the thinnest degree of difference that I could find myself in a very similar situation. My guess is that we're all a bit like that. So, as we take care of our pets, we also need to make sure we take care of ourselves. We're all worth the time and energy.

My deepest, heartfelt condolences go to John's family, friends, and loved ones.