Ed Wil

Race name: Ed Will
Born: October 11, 1997
Passed: June 10, 2009
Adopter: Ramona Grove

“My Senior Moment”
(Losing my heart instead of my mind)

A Tribute to Ed Wil
10/11/97 – 06/10/09

So often we hear people say “I’m sorry, I must have had a “Senior Moment”.

To those of us who’ve been lucky enough to share our hearts and homes with a senior hound, having a “Senior Moment” is an honor, not a curse.

You see, we get it. We know that loving a senior means you will only hold them in your arms for a while; but you will hold them in your heart forever.

I have been lucky for I have been blessed with five such moments, and though they did not stay long, each left a paw print on my heart and with that print, changed my life forever.

Ed Wil was one such moment. He was the noblest of hounds, strong in stature and kind in heart. He was the text book definition of the word “Stoic” for he showed patience and endurance in the face of adversity.

To his first owner, Ed was a racer, a winner, a Sire, a Champion. Ed ran 264 races in his career from May of 99 to January of 03. He came in first 58 times, second 36 times, third 30 times, forth 36 times and he won two and placed seven of the 15 Stakes races he ran along the way. Ed loved racing. He loved running the rail, he loved wearing red and for his first owner Ed Wil was money from head to toe.

I was Ed’s second owner and perhaps the biggest winner of all, for no money or riches could buy what I had, I’d had won Ed Wil’s love, and he loved me with all of his heart and soul, of this I was sure.

Although bone cancer took Ed’s life, it will never take from me the “Senior Moments” with which I was blessed. Each moment, big or small will forever be etched in my heart, in my mind and in my soul.

There are so many things I will miss about Ed. I’ll miss the way he loved sleeping at the foot of the bed with his head on my feet as if to say, “Its ok mom, I’ll keep your feet warm, it’s my NEW job”. I’ll miss how he would stand on the bed and bark when I was getting ready for work; the look in his eyes seemed to say: “Don’t go mom, stay with me, we’ll play and snuggle, don’t leave me”. Each time I had to leave I’d tell him, “It’ll be ok Ed, I’ll be back, I’ll always come back to you”. If I’d only know how soon he’d be gone, I wonder, would I have ever left?

Each day as I returned home, the first sound I heard was Ed’s greeting coming from behind the door. “Mom’s home, mom’s home” he seemed to bark. Ed sounded like a seal when he barked and I use to call his greeting “My seal of approval”. Hearing his bark made everything ok, and I knew, no matter what kind of day I had, once I heard his bark all was right with my world.

I will miss seeing him dig holes in the yard when he didn’t think I was watching. I will miss filling up the kiddy pool so he could see just how much water one hound could actually track into the house. I will miss his kind heart and gentle soul, and more than any thing else, I knew I loved Ed and he loved me right back.

Run among friends sweet boy, your place in my heart is secure.