Amy Nelson Instagram – We had to let Henry go yesterday morning. I’m so sorry to tell everyone. I know many of you loved seeing him despite how camera shy he was. He was so similar to me. My shadow. Please bear with me while I clumsily try to honor him.
I have to tell you that Mark and Chica and I lay here a day later feeling like we sawed our own arm off. I’m sorry if we are a mess for a while.
It was a miracle he made it to the wedding, still his old self. I can’t believe we had that. Over a year of good days after a cancer diagnosis that we all thought was ready to take him out the day we discovered it.
Even yesterday morning, exhausted as he was – Henry jumped in and out of the car, head out the window and tugged towards his favorite trail at his favorite park. And then he came home and we helped him rest. He simply ran out of good days.
From the worst motion sickness I’ve ever seen to teaching himself to stick his head out the window. He’d meep and meep and meep. The perfect road trip partner. He got to see Thailand to LA, even the Atlantic. Snow and desert and beaches and forests and creeks. How many dogs could say the same?
I keep thinking back to all those film shoots in Austin, where he suddenly discovered how to run. And god it was the most shamelessly dorky run – the kind of enthusiasm reserved for passions discovered in the second chapter of life – lived as if you’re making up for lost time.
And most importantly of all, he was little brother to his big sister. They loved each other so much. Chica was the only dog Henry ever truly figured out how to play with. He eventually grew brave enough to wrestle in front of our friends. She taught him how to be a dog. He gave her purpose.
Last night Mark said he was plucked from the cosmos just for us. And he certainly was, but he had some human help along the way. Thank you to Tamara at @thaistreetpaws_dogrescue for saving his life.
It was an honor to take him into our home, but it ultimately became his home more than any of ours. He was my Henry copilot, our watchful eyes, and he was perfect. | Posted on 02/Nov/2025 01:56:29
