by Christina Capps
It was August 5, 2002. My pager went off 5 times in a role. It was my mom and I was not near a phone at that moment. I was in a store on preston highway. When I finally got to a phone I asked her what was going on. She said Gina just called me and I have some bad news. I was trying to hurry her because I was on a pay phone. "Bandit just died" was what she said. I started crying hysterically. "what? are you serious?" is what I said. she was crying too. She said don't call your dad though. He is out getting money to pay for bandits surgery and doesn't know yet. I got off the phone with her and got back into my boyfriends car. I told him what happened and he grabbed me and hugged me for about 10 minutes. I quit crying for a while but all I could do was stare out the window dumbfounded with a blank stare on my face. I wished I could of seen him before he went or afterwards. I just wanted to say goodbye. I found out later that he was at jefferson animal hospital right there on preston where I had been. That upset me even more. He went there because he had a seizure. they said he had a tumor on his spleen. But when they went to do the surgery they found that he had tumor seeds all over his insides and that he wouldn't live much longer. they said there was nothing they could do for him so it was best if they just put him to sleep. My dad took it the worst out of everyone. that was his best friend for 10 years and to lose him broke his heart into a million pieces. especially not being able to say goodbye. We had him cremated and he is now sitting on the shelf in the livingroom. we have his collar and bandana around it. I will always love and miss him. I think about him often and look at his pictures everyday. I know he is with us in spirit and in our hearts forever. I love and miss you bandit.
January 8, 1992 - August 5, 2002