Yesterday marked the end of a long life that meant more to my fiance and, eventually, me than either of us could ever explain.
We laid Henry MacVittie’s 17-year companion to rest Monday, June 7, and we lost a member of our family.
Zeus came into MacVittie’s life when MacVittie was in his early 20s and calling them best friends would be an understatement. Zeus went every where with MacVittie until the last year of his life.
They moved to Arizona together and Zeus introduced MacVittie to his future business partner because Zeus never could turn down a game of fetch, even in his old age when you could see the pain he endured in an attempt to beat the young pup to the ball. Zeus was a big part of many important moments in MacVittie’s life.
When I met MacVittie, his dedication to his dog and the connection so evident between them made it clear Zeus was not just a pet, a dog to be left in the backyard and ignored. He was MacVittie’s buddy, and he can never be replaced.
When we returned home from the vet, we spent time remembering Zeus in his younger, healthier days, and Henry told me the story of the first time he saw Zeus when he was just a little puppy. The story brought tears to his eyes, and he said to me, “You know, you never think about this day on your first day with them.”
We picked out a nice place to lay him to rest, under a pine tree, and laid flowers grown in our yard on his grave last night as we said farewell.
Zeus, we will always love you, and you’ll always be a part of our family. Rest in peace Zeuser.
