Pets, especially dogs, are essential to our lives and are known to remain loyal and faithful to us no matter the circumstances. Unfortunately, most humans fail to reciprocate this unconditional love to their pets when they suffer. However, the story of Charlie Bear and his family speaks the opposite and brings to light the strong bond between pets and their owners.
Charlie Bear is a black Labrador owned by Kelly O’Connell since 2002. Unfortunately, Charlie Bear wasn’t as agile as he used to be towards Kelly’s wedding. It was both a beautiful and sad day for Kelly, her sister, Katie Lloyd, and her husband-to-be, James Garvin.
The wedding ceremony
The bride and groom were vets who loved and cared for animals with a lot of passion. They had five rescue dogs that they adopted over the years. They decided to celebrate their wedding with the five dogs because it was also a special day for them.
One of the dogs, Charlie Bear, wasn’t feeling well. He was suffering from a brain tumor. However, Kelly decided that Charlie Bear wouldn’t miss her wedding.
Everything was fine on this day until it became clear that Charlie Bear couldn’t walk. Katie, the maid of honor, came to Charlie’s rescue and carried him off. It was an emotional and sad moment for the bride, who quickly sensed that his darling pet had little time left.
Moments after the wedding
While writing on Facebook, Katie recalls being advised to let Charlie be, but she wouldn’t. Looking at Charlie, she could tell he was weary and needed help moving. Katie also admits that Charlie was quite big and heavy because of the steroid treatment, but this was the least she could do for him.
Katie also reveals that Charlie was adopted by her sister 14 years ago. He was abandoned in a shopping trolley and left alone and scared. Kelly rescued him, and since then, the two became friends.
Charlie’s photos and Kelly’s reaction.
Photos of Kelly helping Charlie sparked beautiful reactions on the internet. It was a beautiful ceremony, but Katie’s selfless act made it more special. It was an act of love and kindness.
When ABC News interviewed Kelly, she revealed that she was touched by her sister’s kind heart.
At the same time, she also felt sad because seeing Charlie unable to walk reminded her of the little time he had left. Seeing a once agile dog as weary as Charlie made her very emotional and sad.
Kelly revealed that she and her husband were so touched that they dropped to their knees and cried. Charlie was sick, and every moment he shared with them was a blessing. She admits that Charlie was a sweet dog and felt he had to endure a lot in his old age.
Even though the special moment was emotional and sad, they had the privilege of having Jen Dziuvenis, their family friend and photographer, capture it. Jen also admits that taking the photos was very hard because she was overwhelmed by emotions, too. The family deserved it, and most of all, Charlie Bear deserved it for his remembrance when he was no more.
Charlie’s death
A week later, on September 9th, Charlie breathed his last, and it was an emotional moment for the whole family. He lived a beautiful life but was robbed of this by his old age sickness. The newlyweds admit that even though he left them abruptly after the wedding, it was a blessing to share with him the beautiful memories during the wedding.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these last memories deserve to be saved in photographs, and Jen was too kind to accord this to the family. Katie showed a kind, caring, and selfless act that every sick dog deserves. The family stayed by Charlie and ensured he experienced their wedding during his last moments since he was family.