by Jeremy
This is the story of my retired working dog's last day on this earth. He and I had gone through a lot of experiences together so he only deserved to go out in style. Once he retired he came home to live with my family and was more than a pet, he was almost human. Weblo was put down on March 8th, 2016 due to his losing battle with cancer.
We knew Weblo was getting close to the end but on the morning of March 8, 2016 when he came down stairs to see me off to work he could barely walk. He fell down the stairs because he was in so much pain that morning. Upon seeing him like that I knew it was time. So I took Weblo to work with me to hopefully catch the vet and figure out a way to put him down comfortably. As Weblo and I drove into the gate to work that morning I saw a helicopter parked on our airfield. I got Weblo into my office and settled him in then went on a mission to find the pilots for the helicopter and track down the vet. Fortunately everything fell into place that day with the helicopter and our vet staff.
I took him and drove out to the airfield where he got out of the truck slow and stiffly but when the rotors on the helicopter started spooling up he immediately puffed out his chest and strutted to the helicopter as if he the young dog I was the young dog I was paired up with many years prior. He jumped in the helicopter and we flew around for a little bit while he acted as if nothing was wrong with him. It was just like the old days for him flying around with the boys to go do bad things to bad people. At that point I nodded to the vet and she gave him the injections that put him to sleep while we flew around. Once we landed I carried him from the helicopter to the vet's truck and said my final good byes. Below is an excerpt of what I wrote that day after I got home...
Weblo and I were paired up 9 years ago and did 6 rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan together. During that time he saved my life, as well as that of others, on numerous occasions. On Halloween night in 2007 Weblo was shot by a suicide bomber which resulted in myself and 7 other assaulters not being killed by the bomber when he detonated himself. I can, without a doubt, say that if it wasn't for his actions that night and multiple other nights that I would not be here today.
Weblo retired in 2012, made the transition to being a family dog and has been living the good life at home since.
Today he was taken on his last helicopter ride where he was put to sleep due to his failing battle with cancer. Hopefully he can now rest in the halls of Valhalla with his brothers who have gone before him.
He will be sorely missed by myself, as well as my family.
There will never be another Weblo for me. I miss him daily and wish that somehow he could still be here. His death hit me far harder than any of the deaths of friends I've lost over the years. He was more than a pet or partner, he was an extension of myself as I was a part of him. His ashes are now placed on a shelf over my bar so that the can still look over and protect us.
