ADVERTISEMENT
I knelt beside her, my hand stroking her head. Her fur was rough, warm despite the chill. That’s when I noticed something tucked into her collar—a folded piece of paper, written in purple crayon. The letters were uneven, crooked, but I could read them under the flashlight:
“My name is Madison. I’m seven. Daisy is my dog. Mommy went to heaven. Daddy said Daisy has to die. But I prayed and prayed because I think angels ride motorcycles. Please help her. I love her. She’s all I got.”
I just sat there. Fifty-eight years old, grease on my hands, a man who didn’t cry easily anymore—but that night, I cried harder than I had in decades. I had just come from visiting my brother in hospice. Cancer was winning, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do.
I felt useless, angry, tired of losing. But when Daisy inched closer, dragging her sore body just to rest her head in my lap, something cracked open inside me. I couldn’t save my brother. But maybe I could save her.
I pulled out my phone and called my vet. He was half-asleep when he answered, but when I told him what I’d found, he said, “Bring her in. Now.”
Continue reading…
ADVERTISEMENT