Melanie Reyes, or Mel to some of her friends, is a senior at Miami Senior High. She talks about her dog Sandy who she had for 15 years, before Sandy passed away.
Losing Sandy was unexpected for Melanie, but she knew it would happen because Sandy was sick. She felt like she had lost a piece of herself; she had always thought Sandy would live longer, as she had surpassed the average age limit for dogs.
Melanie is incredibly grateful that Sandy lived as many years as she did. She was a very strong chihuahua, loved by many people whom she would always brag about. Sandy is family, and even though she is no longer with Melanie, she remains in her heart. “I still look at her pictures and the memories we made together,” she said.
Melanie had a hard time grieving for Sandy because she had her for 15 years, and she was a part of her childhood. She stated, “There’s no way to describe the feeling of losing your pet.”
What helped Melanie grieve was knowing that she passed away peacefully and with her whole body intact. Melanie said, “She could’ve died in a car crash, considering she was a little blind due to her old age.”
Sandy was 15 years old when she passed away peacefully in her bed from a heart attack. About a month before, she had suffered a stroke, which left her unable to eat, and she started coughing frequently.
Melanie’s mom did her best to care for Sandy, giving her medicine like Tylenol, as they always did when she got sick. Usually, the Tylenol helped, and Sandy would feel better in a day. Unfortunately, they couldn’t afford to take her to the vet. “We did everything we could to make her comfortable and help her,” stated Melanie.
Melanie and her mom got Sandy on July 20th, 2009, from a longtime friend who had passed away. Melanie states, “I still remember the first time I saw Sandy; I knew she was going to live in a happy home.” Melanie considers Sandy like a person even though she’s a dog because Sandy was there throughout Melanie’s entire life.
Many dogs would leave their owners, but not Sandy. She never attempted or tried to leave home. Sandy was loyal and would always greet them at the door whenever Melanie and her mom came home from school or work. “It always made our day. She was loved and cared for by many people we knew,” she said.
When Melanie was grieving the loss of Sandy, the people who supported her were her friends Lidia Martinez, Keilly Martinez, and her mom. She first told her mom when she found Sandy, then called Lidia because she also loved Sandy, even though Sandy didn’t like her. Lidia came to comfort her, and even one of her neighbors stopped by to show support. “I really appreciate those who were there for me because losing Sandy was difficult for me,” she said.
One piece of advice Melanie would like to give to people who have any kind of pet is to appreciate every moment with them. “Once you lose them, life will never be the same without them,” she states.
