Roxie: A Love That Lives Beyond Goodbye

Seven hours before that photo was taken, I sat beside Roxie at the vet, holding on to a moment I didn’t know would be our last together. She was so tired, but even then, she was fighting to reach me — pressing her tiny head and paw through the small opening in the oxygen box, desperate to feel my hand one more time. That image — her love shining through even in pain — is forever etched in my heart.

Roxie wasn’t just a dog. She was my first real dog — my girl, my shadow, my soul dog. For 14 years, she filled my world with more joy than words can ever hold. She had a way of making ordinary days extraordinary: stealing her brother’s food with a proud little grin, demanding extra treats like she ran the house, barking at absolutely nothing just to make her presence known. And every single day, just by being Roxie, she made life brighter.

Losing her feels like losing a piece of myself. The house is quieter now, the corners emptier, but the love she gave me is still here — stitched into every memory we made. She was there through laughter, heartbreak, and all the in-betweens, and she loved me through it all.

Roxie taught me what unconditional love truly means. Even in her final hours, she reached for me, reminding me that love doesn’t fade — it lingers, soft and steady, long after goodbye.

I love you, Roxie. Always.