My heart is a thousand pounds right now. We had to help our beloved family furbaby Erin cross to rainbow bridge this morning. Erin was my mom's dog for almost 14.5 years and she was loved by all and the sweetest girl ever. To know Erin was to love Erin. Her story is special and one I've always loved sharing. Even though it had a sad start, it had a very happy ending. In 2003, my mom, grandmother and their two Chihuahuas were taking an RV trip across the US and my grandmother became ill and they had to cut their trip short and head back home. On the way back, they stopped in a little Alabama town to stretch and walk the dogs. Mom was behind a store walking her dogs when she ran across Erin. She didn't think she was alive as she was just laying there not moving. Mom said, "puppy?" and Erin perked her little head up and started wagging her tail. Mom realized she was injured so went into the store to see if anyone knew anything and they told her she had been hit by a car a couple days earlier, and they just left her. Heartwrenching. Mom scooped her up and put her in the RV and took her straight to a vet. She had a broken pelvis, a broken tail, and terrible road rash, but her spirit was strong. Erin was full of life and love and knew she had just been rescued. Erin worshipped my mom from that day forward and would literally sit next to my mom just inches away from her face and stare at her for the longest time. I've never seen such loyalty and love between two lives. It was fate that my mom found Erin that day. They weren't even supposed to be going through that town, but no doubt they were led there so that Erin would be found and loved like no other. She had a beautiful life and added more joy to ours than we could convey. We are heartbroken and miss Erin so, so much, but know she is at peace now running with all of our past furbabies. Until we meet again, rest easy Erin, our sweet, sweet girl. You will be in our hearts forever.

Written on Facebook by Mary Ellen Kastelic (my daughter)