02/14/2022
I was whelped on January 31, 2015. My daddy Sire Halen Yukon Little Dream was a champion on the show circuit. My mum was Kaiden; she was beautiful and a stay-at-home pup.
I came to my new home in Kinnelon on or about April 7th, 2015. Ron and Cindy were so happy to see me. I was everything that Ron had desired in a Golden Retriever.
I was a light-colored Golden boy. "doro rigazzo" I came from a litter of 8 and was the only male. After being abandoned by my first adoptive human, Ron and his family came to my rescue.
Although I was going to be the perfect fit with this family, I still had to be a little devilish to test the waters. I was a chewer from day one. Although I was not destructive, I would take towels, which I loved to do,
a slipper now and then, and many polishing clothes and/or underwear. It was just my way of saying that I accepted all of them, Ron, Cindy, Kimberly, and Michael. Although Michael got married to Nicole in 2018 and Kimberly
wed Kevin in 2020, they were close and visited often. Ron would walk me 2 miles most days as a pup, thinking it would calm me down some. I guess those days ended when Ron developed arthritis in his knees.
It wasn't totally over and he'd walk me up and down the block every day and play ball with me a few times a week. I really got attached to Cindy when she started caring more about me as she worked from home the last couple of years.
As Ron will tell you, he lost his best friend because before all this covid stuff, I'd jump in his truck on a regular basis going with him just about anywhere he had to go, including his client's big and more beautiful homes after he was finished working on them.
I think I will be remembered most for my caring and my love for all humans. Even if I met you for the first time, I'd pretend that I wanted to go home with you. I always loved feeding time and would eat just about anything. Even though Ron was the strict one with my diet, I knew how to get around that; I got scraps from Cindy often. My best friend was Ron, "il mio migliore amico", I couldn't tell him that. I would run to Cindy and follow her around when she got home. I really enjoyed sitting by the campfire with mommy. I loved Kimberly too, but as soon as she got married along came someone she could love. I was able to meet Adelynn for the first time and she smelt different than all the other humans in my life. Out of all of them, I don't quite know what it was, but Michael was more on my level. He'd shoot a tennis ball on the end of his hockey stick for as long as I wanted. He spent a lot of time petting me even though he'd have to wash his hands real good so my dander wouldn't reach Nicole, his wife. I became fond of Nicole and in the end, she allowed me into her very tidy house. I tried to behave myself but maybe it was because I just didn't feel myself these last few months. I tried to tell them there was something wrong but it was hard and I didn't want to be a burden to my human family. It was in September of 2021, I noticed that I had a fatty tumor on my left side. Ron had made an appointment at the vet, but I got to it sooner. It was a mess and I had to wear a cone over my head for that one. After more than two weeks, they surgically removed it and I received 30 stitches. At home I acted like nothing was wrong. Sometimes I would limp and try to tell them that I was still not right. They didn't know what I know. What is growing on the outside could be even worse on the inside. And so after coming home from the vet on January 5, 2022, I curled up in a ball and wouldn't eat my food. Michael came by, so I had to eat for him. Michael, good soul that he is, took me that night to Redbank Animal Hospital. After waking up, I found out that they had done surgery and stopped my internal bleeding. Two days later, Michael and Nicole picked me up. I had to act good, like nothing had happened. It was just the beginning of my decline. Ron researched a lot of stuff and put me on a new diet. I was all organic now and receiving extra herbs in three meals a day. The stuff was real good. I even insisted on Ron cooking the chicken, which he did for me. I was all too happy to eat and walk and p**p. That was my life for the last 5 weeks. February 13, 2022, Ron could not get me up and eat or walk down the stairs. I waited for them to make a decision and the next thing I knew we were in the truck going to my favorite place; Redbank Animal Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ. It was there that they had to inform Ron and Michael how bad I was. I was bleeding internally again and the tumors had metastasized. It wasn't long after that, I was able to visit Ron and Michael for one last time. Can I tell you that was the hardest thing I had to admit? I had cancer!!! I am now in a restive state and waiting for things to be normal again. That means I may be waiting a while for my family to finally come home and love again how I loved them. Take A Chance On Me Babe was one heck of a dog. God speed Chance. We’ll see you on the other side.
Love Ron, Cindy, Kimberly, and Michael.
