They say all dogs go to heaven and we're convinced there's a special place behind the pearly white gates for one German Shepherd named Gretchen. The dog's final wish before she passed away is going viral and it's sure to bring a tear to your eye.
Unlike other dogs who stereotypically chase the mailman and other delivery folks who come to their door, Gretchen loved her family's mailman, Fernando Barboza.
Recently, Barboza's daughter, Twitter user @amorningsting, posted a tweet about her father, who carries treats around with him to give to dogs on his daily route. But last week, when he arrived at Gretchen's house, he found something in the mailbox for him. It was a bag of treats, along with a note that read:
"Gretchen passed away yesterday. She asked me to ask you if you would share her treats that she never got to finish with the other dogs on your route. She always enjoyed seeing you come to the door and was always happy to get a snack from you. Thank you, The Cimino Family.”
@amorningsting/Twitter
Barboza's daughter posted a photo of the bag of treats and the note, as well as a screenshot of a text from her father saying even though Gretchen was huge, she was also "a teddy bear." The tweet went mega-viral, getting more than 186,000 retweets in just over a week.
Needless to say, everyone went straight for the box of Kleenex.
— Oscar Lorta (@oscara1515) April 1, 2019
And once the Cimino Family heard about the tweet, they even posted a video of their dearly departed dog greeting one of her favorite humans.
My wife and I were told about Gretchen’s letter to Fernando being on Twitter. I can’t begin to tell y’all how much it has meant to us seeing how much love and support y’all have shown our girl. She was the absolute best. This is a short video of her seeing her mailman. pic.twitter.com/uK9Y2BtKtO
— DeCuervo (@DeCuervo2) April 4, 2019
Barboza told The Dodo that he got all "choked up" reading the letter, but he fulfilled her wish. "I’ve been giving out her treats to the dogs on my route every day. And when I do, I always say, ‘This is from Gretchen,’" he said. "I’m sad when I think about her, but I’m happy to see the other dogs’ tails wagging like crazy when they get the treats."
"I know that she would have wanted her favorite things that she couldn't finish to go to her friends," Chris Cimino said.
The Ciminos also posted a tweet saying they were very happy with all of the attention that Gretchen's story is receiving. They said they "know she’s up in heaven looking pleased with herself," and that they hope her story "will get people to see that adopting older rescues is well worth it," given that she was rescued as an elderly pup just six years ago.
Thank you. I know she’s up in heaven looking pleased with herself just like this. I’m hoping her story will get people to see that adopting older rescues is well worth it. pic.twitter.com/7t6b1X67VJ
— DeCuervo (@DeCuervo2) April 5, 2019
So, just to summarize:
— Jacob_Escobar14 (@jescobar99) April 1, 2019
And if you're really in the mood for another good cry, read what one veterinarian said is the most heartbreaking thing about putting down pets.
To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to follow us on Instagram!
