My Dear Star Jean Marie
Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

FROM Philip Murphy
Facebook post, August 23, 2021

Her body had now become a prison for her wild heart...

In the summer of 2008 we visited our friend Louise Coleman at Greyhound Friends, seeking a companion for our young black Irish boy, Ben, who had recently lost his “aunt” Natasha.
Louise introduced us to Star, a black and white beauty of a two-year-old who had recently been rescued from a Florida “racetrack.” “They make a great looking pair,” said a somewhat surprisingly animated Louise, commenting on the complementarity of Ben and Star’s markings.

Star then joined our family, and it was only later that we learned that Louise was in fact fairly invested in moving Star along the adoption trail as she was… *a bit of a handful.* (Upon seeing Star from the corner of her eye during a return visit to GF for the removal of sutures, Louise remarked in a tone of semi-mock distain and world-weary exasperation, “Oh… *you again.*” Note that by this point in time Louise had been operating Greyhound Friends for twenty-five years, and had seen many hundreds of dogs come through the rescue organization. )

As smart — so smart — as she is beautiful, and irascible as the day is long, Star came to serve as the emotional center of our homes, located in four cities on two coasts. In 2019 she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy; nevertheless the combination of her indomitable spirit, and wonderful medical care saw her blow past her six-month life expectancy and go on to celebrate her 15th birthday on August 4. However shortly thereafter a slow decline accelerated, and by Friday it was clear that her body had now become a prison for her wild heart. That evening we supported her crossing-over, and now she once again runs free.

Be well, my dear Star Jean Marie. Know that you will be with us always, and you will be loved until the end of time.

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