Gizelle, a beautiful English Mastiff was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer and given months to live. Her owner, Lauren, loved Gizelle more than anything, as this 160 pound beautiful creature had helped her through more milestones than she would like to admit. Sad that her best friend was no longer going to be with her, Lauren decided to create a bucket list for Gizelle to create so that she could leave the world knowing she had experienced the best parts of it. Here are the things that they did together in Gizelle’s last months.
Ride in a Canoe
Though Gizelle did not understand the splashing water in the beginning of her trip, she soon relaxed out on the water and enjoyed the warm, scent-filled breeze that drifted into the canoe. The inspiration came from The Little Mermaid.
See Times Square
Normally not enjoying Time Square because of the crowds, Lauren took Gizelle to Times Square early one morning so she could sit and admire the beautiful modern site with no need to worry about being trodden on.
Go On a Road Trip
Lauren, a friend, and Gizelle took a road trip around New England and enjoyed the warm weather, loud music, and no need to worry about anything else other than the road in front of them. All girls had a blast.
Eat Lobster in Maine
Travelling all the way to Wells Beach, ME, Luaren and Gizelle enjoyed the fun of meeting a live lobster, playing for a while, and then chowing down on their friend. Gizelle was sad to see her new friend go, but a dog’s gotta eat.
Eat Ice Cream on a Dock
When life got too much for an hour or two, the pair went down on the dock and enjoyed plain vanilla ice cream, watching boats drift by and enjoying the gentle water lapping along the sides of the dock.
Cuddle as Much as Possible
The size difference didn’t matter to either of the two girls as they used their last few months to cuddle together as much as possible. Dog hair and slobber went unnoticed as the girls took the time to curl up and enjoy the moment while they had it.
Spend a Day at the Park
The duo spent an entire day roaming the Washington Square Park and enjoying all of the pleasure that came from meeting new people and relaxing in the sunshine.
Go to a Party and Meet a Cute Boy Dog
Gizelle had been looking forward to getting introduced to some single male dogs in the neighbourhood, so they took advantage of the moment and Gizelle tagged along to a party with Lauren and met up with some great characters all around.
Eat the Best Doughnuts in the World
Always a favourite for the two girls, they bought an entire box of donuts from Congdon’s Donuts and ate the entire box between them. It was a delicious day for the two of them, and they enjoyed every last bite.
Meet Santa
Santa scared Gizelle, so Lauren created a more comfortable sized Santa scene so that her best friend could enjoy her last Christmas and make sure that Santa got her important list of doggy treats that she wanted for Christmas.
Sit on the Beach in the Winter
On their last full day together before Gizelle had to leave this world, the two girls sat on the lonely and peaceful beach and enjoyed their last days together. It was a great moment that filled Lauren with perfect tranquility that would help her make her friend’s passing easier and much more heartwarming than she was expecting, the next day. Gizelle passed away peacefully the next day. In Lauren’s own words,
“Part of me wondered if this was her plan all along, to take me on an adventure, knowing we’d end up on a deserted beach alone. The sky was white, the trees were bare, and even the birds were hiding. The whole world felt lifeless, and it was hard to believe this beach was once filled with rainbow-colored umbrellas and cute boys lathered in SPF. It was then I realized that I was okay with letting Gizelle go. Just like I had faith that the trees would sprout lime green leaves again and kids with yellow buckets would splash in the water once more, I had faith I’d carry Gizelle with me. Even in the emptiness of that beach that day, I could see Gizelle running free along the shore, rolling in the sand, awkwardly spooked by approaching waves. I knew she would live on through my experiences and that I gave her the best life I could. And that to me was infinitely healing.”
