As a New Year begins, our family is heartbroken at the loss of a truly beautiful and remarkable soul and my very best friend. Last night, just after midnight, our beloved TOBI passed over the Rainbow Bridge surrounded by incredible love. He had just returned with us from a trip to one of his favorite places - Ithaca NY -where he and I braved the cold, enjoyed the perfect fresh snow, walked at our favorite waterfall. He had had a scare on Thanksgiving Day, where a 6 cm mass had appeared near his liver and then virtually disappeared. Somehow, to give us more precious time and a last Christmas together, he silently beat cancer back for 6 weeks. He waited until 9PM last night - my birthday, to let us know he couldn't go on.

TOBI's is a remarkable story. TOBI spent most of his life in service, and is the first canine ever to receive our county's award for service to children with special needs. As a team, we worked with hundreds of children with special needs here in our community. TOBI helped them through their struggles, physical and otherwise, with his silly disposition and non-judging furry sweetness to move small mountains. Some of these kids are now in high school and in middle school. They see me now,even 8 years later, and talk about how our time working together was incredibly special and important to them and made a difference to them. They still have TOBI's pictures. TOBI was only 9 months old when he began this work, and only in the last year did he "retire" to become the ambassador for the Canines-N-Kids Foundation, He was truly a diplomat, and loved by countless children and people in places and hockey rinks from the Carolinas to Canada.

It is tragic and ironic in the end, that the monster called cancer took from us this beautiful creature that helped so many and taught us so much. But he remains my inspiration through all of the tears and a solo half-hearted run this cold morning He would have loved this perfect crisp and quiet New Year's morning.. Though he will not be right by my side as he has been each and every day for 9 years, I promised him as we said goodbye that he is with me in my heart every day as we fight to slay this awful beast that affects so many of our loved ones, two and four-legged.

I love you more than you will ever know, my sweet TOBI. Keep running and swimming and carrying people's shoes around up there in Heaven. Rest well, and look down on us all with your tail wagging and continue to remind us what true, and unconditional love feels like.
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Tribute Donations :

So sorry for your loss. (Carol Weisman)
So sorry to hear about Tobi - he was family to you and the entire CNK community (John Gilchrist)