February 27 is a date I cannot and will not forget. It was the last Tuesday of February in 2018. At 9:35 AM, I received a call from my dad the morning before my psychology class. He told me that our yellow Labrador of 13 years could not get out of her bed from the living room. Lucy had been slowing down for a while at this point, but, according to dad, this morning was different. I went through the rest of the day in a fog, walking aimlessly across campus. I knew putting her down was the only option. Lucy had been in so much pain for a long time. But, it hit me later into the day, like a dark cloud covering the sky: I was not going to be there in person to say goodbye to my dog.

I had not been home for a couple of weeks, and I realized that was my last time with my dog Lucy. Had I known it then, that visit home would have been a little different. During the early evening, I FaceTimed my parents, and Lucy was still in bed. It was a heart-wrenching experience. To say goodbye to her on an iPhone was almost detestable to me. I will never forgive myself for not being there in person. At the same time, there was nothing I could do - I could only watch and cry.

Sam Erickson-Ely

My family and I all cried together. Letting go of a dog is never easy for anyone. Lucy had been with us for over 13 years. February 27, 2018, was a day I thought would never come. Through the ups and downs, the one constant was Lucy. She was always there with the family. Saying goodbye was inconceivable.

It has been a year since then. As I reflect on Lucy's life, I realize a couple of things. She had a great home and an incredible family. 13 years is a long life for a dog. She lived a pretty good life.

Lucy was only a puppy when we adopted her in Naperville. We brought her home to our new house in Oswego. I was 5 years old, while my sister was 3. Lucy grew up with us, bringing a great deal of love into our family. She was easy to train, but brushing her fur became quite the task. She shed her fur all the time and it would be all over the house, from the couches in the basement to the tallest step on the stairs. Even today we can still find traces of Lucy's fur scattered across the house.

Sam Erickson-Ely

When our Boston terrier pug mix, Bean, arrived in 2016, Lucy didn't think much of him. She found him irritating and needy, as did the rest of us. Bean loved her almost as much as we did. Lucy learned to tolerate the little thing, and so did we. Towards the end, they would take naps in the sunroom together, and the old girl and the puppy got along just fine.

It was easy for Lucy to love anyone she met. And, that is the way I choose to remember her. She was loving, loyal, and the best dog in the world. Anyone who met Lucy knows this, so they knew she was the kind of dog a family should have. When I think of the memories accumulated around her through the years, I am reminded that there is more than enough love in the world.

The day Lucy passed may have been shrouded in heartbreak and sorrow. But, Lucy has not left the hearts of the Erickson family. It may have been awful to say goodbye, but we loved Lucy and she loved us. Not a day goes by that I don't miss my dog. There is a space in my heart that is reserved for one dog now and forever, and that space belongs to Lucy.