Hank Jacoby Todd was with us for almost thirteen years: October 25, 2011 to October 23, 2024.
He was our "empty-nest" dog, accompanying Katy and Steve through Matthew and Becky's college years and beyond.
Together, Katy, Steve, and Jacoby were the "three best friends." For Becky and Matthew, Jacoby was that "welcome home" bridge that always made them excited to come home as they spread their wings. For Mike and Elianna, Jacoby was the "welcome-to-the-family" greeter who made them smile as they got to know our family.
And for Adelaide Rose, he was "Coby," someone to hug, pat, kiss, and laugh with when he made his loud hacking cough.
It's hard to put into words how difficult it is to live without him, but writing these blog posts will help all of us who loved him hold onto his memory longer.
We've gone through similar grieving with Jacoby's great-uncle Boomer. As painful as Boomer's death was, however, this pain seems somehow deeper. Just like Boomer and Jacoby had different personalities, the reasons we grieve and the circumstances of raising both dogs are different.
Jacoby was a love, a goof, a smiler, and a momma's boy. We miss his constant presence and we miss taking care of him as he aged. We are coping as best we can as we pick up his ashes, donate his dog food, drop off his meds, and store his leash and things downstairs.
So how do we start telling his story? We begin by describing the reasons we got him in the first place.
