I know Nick was desperate to have more time with his Lucy Girl, but he did what I believe is the selfless thing to do and let Lucy go peacefully on Tuesday night. It is so hard to see a friend in pain, a pain that you know very well from having gone through something similar. My heart has been really hurting for them over the past few days. Nick adopted Lucy from the shelter when she was just three months old, and he and Lucy went through a lot together over the past 12 years. She was a little scrapper, like our Bailey, and I actually think she was part golden retriever based on her fluffy tail. She will be missed dearly by Nick and Hilari, not to mention their other dog Carlton. In fact, Nick asked Carlton for his thoughts on his sister Lucy, and they came up with the following for me to share on the blog:
My Sissy Lucy
By Carlton Neitzey (transcribed by Nick Neitzey)
I have seen my sissy Lucy fight cats, chase (and successfully catch) squirrels and rats, and fight 2 opossums to a draw (not both at once but on two separate occasions. She's not crazy!). I am either terrified, or want to be friends, with all of those things. But not my sissy Lucy. She was the bravest and toughest dog I've ever met. Probably tougher than most humans (definitely tougher than my pop).
One time on a walk, some big hulking coward of a dog blind-sided my sissy Lucy and latched to her face for five excruciating minutes. I was so scared! I tried to help her but the big dog didn't feel my bites at all. After my humans got sissy free, she almost had a smile on her face. At the doctors office, she fought all the humans trying to help her. She thought they were on the big dumb dog's side (I think she may have been right!). If that big dumb dog would have come at her head-on, it would have been a different fight I assure you. I would've bet anyone three dog treats that my sissy would have kicked his big dumb butt!
My sissy Lucy was certain the mail man was up to no good. She did not trust the man with the big brown truck either (I think she may have been right on those guys too!). The trash men? Forget about it! She was convinced they were stealing that trash from our humans!
She defended our house and our humans. If there ever was going to be a break-in, I'd lick the intruders face while she bit their leg off. My sissy Lucy was the bravest and toughest dog I've ever met!
But she was also the sweetest. Even though she wanted to fight all the bad guys and bad animals, she let every human child pet her beautiful waggity tail (me and my nubbin were quite jealous of that tail!). She was sweet to every human that our humans approved. She always tolerated me and my tough playing style. We made each other laugh all day when our humans weren't home. She didn't kiss me or our humans very often, but when we were sad, sick or just needed some love, she gave the sweetest kisses (pop describes her kisses as sweet and calls mine aggressive! Whatever!).
Over the last couple months, my sissy Lucy had been clingy with our humans when she had always been a loner. She couldn't hear the mailman or the trash man anymore, and the man in the big brown truck got away with god knows what. My sissy Lucy was sick. I overheard our humans say she had a brain tumor. I also heard them say she fought everyone with a smile on her face until the very end. My sissy Lucy passed away on Tuesday, July 10th 2012. She was 84 years old (12 years old according to that crazy way humans calculate age).
My sissy Lucy was the sweetest dog ever. She was my best friend and me and my humans will miss her dearly. Rest in peace sweet sissy, I hope you catch every squirrel in heaven!
Carlton Neitzey
Run free, sweet Lucy Girl! I know you'll be waiting for Nick at the Rainbow Bridge.
Awwww...that was really sweet Marcy..thanks for reprinting it
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