Dogs stay by our sides through every up and down in life. The longer they’re with us, the more milestones they get to see us achieve. So, when the time comes to say goodbye, suddenly everything changes.
Football quarterback Matthew Stafford recently had a significant loss in his family. The Los Angeles Rams player had to say goodbye to his dog of 13 years. Matthew’s wife, Kelly, shared some heartbreaking posts about their furry friend’s passing, and it makes everyone want to hold their own dogs a little tighter now.
13 Wonderful Years
Matthew and Kelly brought Marley home around the same time Matthew was drafted into the NFL. Marley quickly bonded with the couple and claimed Matthew’s side of the bed as her own. She provided comfort to Kelly whenever Matthew was traveling. Kelly described the pup as their “first baby” since she joined the family before they had any kids.
“Marley was my first baby, my first baby girl. When Matthew left for the NFL, I found her and she immediately filled Matthew’s side of the bed. She became my pillow, not just when sleeping, but also the pillow I used that collected all my tears.. her fur was soaked far too often by my tears, but she never seemed to mind.” Kelly wrote.
Marley was especially comforting during the family’s infertility struggles. Now, the couple has four daughters who adored Marley just as much as their parents did. Marley even helped announce one of the pregnancies in 2016 by holding up an adorable sign.
The cause of Marley’s death is unclear, but no matter the reason, her passing is devastating for the family. Kelly shared four beautiful tribute posts on Instagram, and each one is a tear-jerker.
Rest in Peace, Marley
On Instagram, Kelly posted a series of photos of Marley with the family throughout the years. However, the most emotional post was a video montage with the song “The Sun is Rising” by Britt Nicole. The video shows moments of Marley playing, cuddling, and going on adventures with the family.
“Why is it such a surprise and so hard? Dogs aren’t supposed to outlive us, we know it when we make them part of our family..So why does it feel like it’s never coming?” Kelly wrote. “I woke up this morning without a face in front of me that I’ve been used to waking up to for the past 13 years. The room didn’t feel as warm or cozy. I sat up and saw the empty dog bed at my side and the tears started rolling again.”
Kelly’s tribute posts are emotional for any dog lover, even if they never met Marley. Dogs are part of the family, so saying goodbye to them involves a lot of pain and heartbreak. Yet, our time with them makes that grief worth it.
Rest in peace, Marley. You were (and still are) very loved!
Watch the Emotional Video Here:
