06/28/2025
This week I lost my best friend….”Xerxes, the wonder dog”. I have lost parents, family, close friends, but somehow this is different….it is a broken heart that is unconsolable with grief. For those who say this is crazy…that he is just a dog… I say, he was part of my core family…my daily constant companion, through good times and bad, always with unconditional love making every moment a happy memory to treasure.
He has taught more than a decade of students in my classes….sharing his kibble earning in the form of Tim bits or chocolate treats for my classes in corrosion and hydrogen energy systems at every holiday opportunity. He put up with lots…without a whimper…major surgery when he was 4 to be diagnosed with an inoperable immune system growth, later diabetes, blindness, arthritis and more….but he was always there with a lick and a yip to welcome you home. He taught us all a lesson in perseverance against adversity.
Thanks for being part of my world…you made me a better teacher and person. Wishing you godspeed on your next life.