This week Meggan and I are having a rough time. On Monday, our golden retriever, Kobe Bear passed away in our arms. We thought we’d share a little bit about a member of our family that meant so much to us and why we will miss him terribly. Just typing this is difficult, my buddy is supposed to be sleeping on my feet.
Kobe appeared to be a big and handsome golden retriever, but he was really a human trapped inside a dog’s body. He commuted to work everyday with me for almost 10 years. The baristas at the coffee shop knew him by name and had a doggy bone waiting for him each morning. He was the mascot of our office, although I think Kobe would have given himself a better title. No matter what kind of day we were having, Kobe had a knack for making it better.
I could write a book on all the good memories we’ve had with Kobe Bear. It seems that the monumental down to the irrelevant memories often involve him. From being the only witness to me asking Meggan to marry me to snuggling between us while watching a movie, he was always there.
One of the hardest things we have had to do was decide to leave him when we traveled for over a year. Luckily, Kobe’s grandparents are crazy about him. We knew he was in good hands as we and many other people have coined my parent’s home “the doggy spa.” While at the spa for about a year, Kobe learned how to Skype with us while we were on the other side of the planet, he could hear us but not really see us on the computer screen, he always assumed we were under the sofa somewhere.
We have enjoyed every second with him since we’ve been back home. Just about ten days ago, Kobe was still participating in his favorite sport, fetching 3 tennis balls at once. He then stopped eating his food. We took him to the vet and found out he had cancer. 2 days after being diagnosed, all of Kobe’s organs started shutting down.
I know this post really isn’t about travel or design, but it is relevant for us all. I have learned a valuable lesson from our dog. I can’t imagine what kind of pain he was in at the end, but this nasty disease still didn’t stop him from wagging his tail each time he laid eyes on us. Life is short, no matter what we are doing in our lives, may we all wag our tails to the end.
We love you Kobe Bear.
It is a wonderful tribute to Kobe Bear. Everyone who met him, loved him.
Beau & Meggan – Oh, my heart is breaking for all that loved Kobe Bear. I am so sad. He was everyone’s best buddy in the office. He had a remarkable knack for knowing when to walk over and just slightly lean on you for a little loving. I’m not sure who needed it more. I loved Kobe Bear and he will always be in my heart. I am thinking of you both and the family and friends that loved him so much. You are so right and what a perfect way to describe him as a human trapped in a dog’s body. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I am so very sorry for your loss. Kobe Bear was truly loved by all.
Rest in Peace Kobe bear, love ya cuzzo.. -max
i wish i could give you all a hug. my heart goes out to you. i’m going to miss that Kobe so much. we’ll never forget all the fun we had. from the sledneck to parties in the back yard to ball in the park.
i am so sorry meggan and beau. thinking of you guys.
i am so sorry meggan and beau. thinking of you guys.
So sorry guys, big cyber hugs!
My heart goes out to both of you. Your tribute to him is amazing (I am crying now thinking of him and my own dog, Peenut, who we lost 2 years ago), as are the memories that will always be with you. Love to both of you as you go through this difficult time.
Sorry to hear about your loss. He was such a sweet dog.
I’m so sorry for your loss, he sure looks like a sweet dog. By your story I can tell he had a great life. It is a beautiful way to honor him, it got me to tears. Thinking of you and sending my love from Texas.
I’m sorry to hear about your loss. He was a beautiful and wonderful dog.
I am so sorry for your lost. Just like you I had my doggie “Mellie” a Springer Spaniel passed away in my arms as well. She thought me and my husband what the real and unconditional love was.
I know that you gave Kobe all the best…
We are so sorry for your lost.
Luis and Gloria Mesa
I’m really sorry to hear you lost your beloved Kobe Bear. Your beautiful blog post really touched me. This summer, I almost lost my dog. She is the first dog who adopted me and I’m constantly amazed how I love and cherish every second we share together.
Love your blog! Today, I included it in my blog post “10 (More) Photoblogs You’ll Love” on TravelingGreener.com.
Hugs!
Thank you so much to everyone for your kind words. It definitely makes getting through this easier with all of your support.
I remember that little fluff coming home with his brother for the first time, and my thoughts and prayers are with you guys. LOVE YOU guys very much! Long live the Kobe Bear. HE had the absolute best life, and will be sorely missed.
If a pup could speak huh? He’d most definitely say how much he loved his parents, and get the squeak out this thing…errrr I almost got it…..yep….knew I could do it!
One of the things I remember most about your first video, the one where you are packing for your year long adventure, was your beautiful dog Kobe Bear. The look on his face was the same expression my dog has when I’m packing a suitcase.
And all the while, as I followed your blog, I kept thinking to myself, I wonder how their dog is doing? Where did they leave him? And more important, HOW did they leave him? I’m not sure I would have the strength to leave my dog in someone else’s hands for longer than a few weeks.
So, although I don’t know you personally, I am still very sad to hear of your loss. Animals come into our lives for a reason but they always leave sooner than we hope. I will be giving my pup extra hugs tonight, in memory of Kobe Bear.
Hugs Meggan and Beau
Fay
Hey Beau and Meggan,
I came across your travel blog today and Kobe Bear’s photo and the title of this post immediately caught my eye. My husband and I have recently lost our baby boy, a wonderful full-of-life doggy named Belly, and we know all too well the pain you must be feeling right now.
Our path mirrors your path a bit. When we went on our 18 month trip around-the-world, we left our cat (China) at her grandparent’s house (where she was spoiled rotten!). It was so hard to leave her, but wonderful to return home again. As I type, she’s sitting in my lap “helping” me. (This, of course, makes typing on a laptop a touch difficult, but China doesn’t seem to mind!)
It was while we were on our trip, at an elephant sanctuary called Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, when we were adopted by Belly. The amazing woman who runs the Park, Lek, primarily rescues elephants, but she also takes in dogs and cows (and people too!). At the time, there were around 30 or so dogs living at the Park – a huge, wonderful pack! And most of the dogs were quite happy living there with all the visitor and volunteers coming and going (and giving them treats and pats along the way)…but Belly really wanted a family of his own.
From the moment we arrived at the Park to the moment we left two months later, he was by our side the entire time. But before we left, Lek (who had noticed how much happier and healthier Belly had become during our time at the Park) asked if we wanted to adopt Belly. She had never had anyone adopt one of the dogs away from the Park up to that point, but she knew how much Belly loved us and how much we loved him and how eager he was to have a family of his very own. And so we said yes without hesitation.
That was near the end of our RTW trip, so we didn’t have a place to take him home to quite yet! So we returned to the States, found a doggy-friendly place in DC, and then went back to Thailand to adopt Belly in October 2006. And we lived the next amazing 3.5 years together as the happiest family. We eventually moved from DC to the shores of Cape Cod…and our silly jungle dog became an ocean-loving pup! He loved the ocean and the snow so, so much. You’d have never guessed he lived his first four years in the jungle! 🙂
Sadly, our Belly passed away in May of this year…and most days it still doesn’t feel real. But every day we remind ourselves how lucky we are to have him in our life, how lucky we were that he chose us. And that helps, it definitely helps.
I’m so happy to know that Kobe Bear had such loving parents (and grandparents) in his life. What a wonderful, lucky doggy. And what wonderful, special parents too. *hugs*
Hi Jessica,
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. That is such a great story, we really appreciate you sharing it with us. Although we didn’t work there, we did go to The Elephant Nature Park and absolutely fell in love with the place. Lek is truly and an amazing woman. We do recall all the great rescued dogs there. It sounds like Belly had a destiny of finding wonderful parents. Our post from the day we visited: https:///www.theworldeffect.com/the_world_effect/2010/01/a-new-life-for-elephants-in-chiang-mai-thailand.html
We still feel the same about Kobe, it doesn’t seem quite real. We were so lucky to have such a great dog. Thanks again for your note.
Oh how wonderful (and what a neat coincidence)! I’m so happy you guys saw the Park too. It’s such a magical place, and your photos from there are gorgeous! 🙂
*hugs* Maybe Belly and Kobe Bear are busy chasing tennis balls around somewhere together right now. Although he’d be no match for Kobe Bear’s talent for fetching three tennis balls at once, Belly always loves a good tennis ball chase!
Be well, guys. And again, we’re so so sorry about your loss.
Your post about Kobe Bear was very touching. I loved the photos, especially the one with the snowy face. He was a beautiful boy! There
That was an amazing story…. i originally was looking for a Golden pic on the web… then i saw your dogs picture… i hit the link , and i found the most wonderful story. I’ve had 3 Goldens, and i loved each one dearly. Kobe was very lucky to have you. Have you read “Racing In The Rain”? its a great book… James
In my view, in the case of a human being, a natural death is a death with dignity. Animals are innocents, however, and we serve as stewards of them, with the obligation to treat them with mercy.
So there, on her favorite couch, on the covered terrace, where she could breathe in all the good, rich smells of grass and trees and roses,
we opened for her the unseen gate, so that she could walk again not on her now weak legs, but on the still strong legs of her spirit, walk beyond that gate, an innocent into the realm of innocence, home forever….
Heal….
As her mom cradled Trixie’s body, and told her she was an angel, I held her sweet face in my hands and stared into her beautiful eyes, and as always she returned my gaze forthrightly. I told her she was the sweetest dog in the world, and I was so proud of her, that we loved her as desperately as anyone might love their own child, that she was a gift from God, and she fell asleep not forever but just for the moment between the death of her body, and the awakening of her spirit in the radiance of grace where she belonged…..
Dean Koontz…..
I am sitting at my desk, tears in my eyes, as I read this post. I only recently came across your site and have been devouring it in between work. I hit “next post” waiting to see the next fantastic picture you had and instead found this. I am SO SO SO sorry to hear Kobe has passed on. I remember every single time one of my beloved pets has gone on to animal heaven and, although it is always heartbreaking, I am so glad you were there with him. I am sure he took great comfort being in your arms.
I realize this is now an old post but you are both in my thoughts!
Rhonda