Day 292 - 7.89 miles (1,864.47 total)
My walk today started out wonderfully. I had hoped to tell you about my walk with Bridget Meyers, the community outreach coordinator at Gazelle Sports. Our two dogs joined us. Bridget’s goldendoodle Bauer and our dog Aura became fast friends. We walked for an hour together in Riverside Park this morning. Since Bridget had to get to work, she stopped after an hour.
Aura and I decided to go on. While we headed north for the first part of our walk, the pooch and I decided to head south. Just like the first leg, we would go out a half hour and head back to complete the two hours.
Aura and I had a great time. We made it all the way to the Sixth Street Dam before turning back to return to the car in Riverside Park. And then it happened. As I was walking Aura across Ann Street, a pickup truck driver making a careless right turn on red did not see us. I shouted as he came around the corner, but he did not hear me. I tried to pull Aura back, but the driver ran her over.
I shouted at the driver as he went by. He slowed, looked in his rear view mirror and took off. I assumed he knew what he had done. Aura made it about three steps before collapsing on the sidewalk near the Shell gas station. I did not want to move her so I took a knee next to her.
About four people who had seen what happened rushed to our side. Another driver (I later found it was Kim Bode, the friend of a few of my friends) pursued the pickup truck and got the license plate number. Aura lasted a few more minutes before she passed away as I stroked her neck.
Though we only had her a short time, she was already a big part of our family. We loved her. She had captured our hearts. She was a playful 1-year-old that was full of energy. I remember thinking the other day that she would be with us after Liam, Daisy and Gwen go off to college. It was not to be.
Little did I know the person who chased down the driver who hit our dog was a friend of a friend. I was on Facebook this afternoon and saw some of my friends reposting the story about what had happened, from Kim’s point of view. Since I did not have the license plate number, I left the investigation up to the police. But Kim had the plate number and with a little research, she found out the driver’s name and posted that information on Facebook.
In a bizarre twist that only social media can create, I had the name and business of the guy who had hit our dog. I called him. I explained to him who I was and what he had done. He told me he had seen me yelling at him, but had no idea that he hit the dog. He told me that he has several rescued dogs of his own and apologized to me and my family. I took him at his word. Soon after, the police called me.
“Do you want to file a report?” I was asked. “No,” I told the police officer. I could tell the driver was sorry. I could feel it in his voice. Though I am upset about what happened, his deep, honest feeling of regret helps ease the pain.
I am most thankful for the half dozen people — all strangers — who stopped and stayed with me while my dog passed away. It restored my hope in the goodness of those in my community. One man brought me a blanket to cover Aura. Another offered his condolences and stayed with me until my wife arrived. A woman who was pumping gas after getting out of work put her arm around me. Two workers from the gas station brought out a box from the store so I could carry her home.
My dog Aura died today. A few more inches and I might not be writing this either. I beg you to please pay attention when you are driving. Put down your cell phone. Turn down your radio. Slow down and don’t rush. It was the second close call I’ve had with a car while walking two hours a day. I just wish Aura was so lucky.
If you have a dog, give them an extra scratch behind the ears tonight. Toss the tennis ball to them a few more times. Let them sit on your favorite recliner. Tell them that you love them and while you are at it, tell the rest of your family you love them too.
