Lucky Coincidence Byrne

This past weekend we lost one of our best friends and member of the family. Lucky spent his last day on the end of the pier, enjoying the cool bay breeze, before he came back to the bottom of the bluff to peacefully fall asleep one last time. He was a true bay dog, and enjoyed life till the very end.

Enjoying a cool dip with my brother Colin and my friend Kenny Nichols (4th of July, 2008)

Not quite a year ago, we noticed Lucky was having some complications breathing, so we took him to the vet. After running some tests, our vet informed us that Lucky had cancer and multiple tumors were growing around his lungs.  There was nothing we could do, except enjoy the remaining time we would have with him.

Relaxing near the fire and spending time with the family (Christmas, 2010)

We were able to spend 12 wonderful, long years with Lucky, and I couldn't be more grateful for the companionship and love he provided selflessly to myself and the rest of our family. While I know Lucky has moved on to a better place, he will still be sorely missed.

The day after Lucky passed, my sister Kathleen sent us this story (origin unknown):

A Dog's Purpose According to a 6 Year Old
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life - like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?"

The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."


We love you Lucky. May the bay breeze be always at your back.
"And, until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand."