Blackie McConnell - Van Rys

2012 - July 9th 2026

For Blackie

You began so far away from us,
on a roadside in Kentucky,
hungry, alone, and waiting—
though none of us knew then
that you were waiting for us.

Somehow, you made your way north,
all the way to Canada,
and into our lives at just the right time.
We had lost our sweet Teeghan,
and Packer needed a friend.
Maybe we did, too.

Then we saw you—
those soulful eyes,
those big radar ears—
and something in them spoke to us.

From the moment you arrived,
you stayed close by our sides,
as though you couldn't quite believe
you had finally found your people.

Our Velcro dog.

Such a gentle soul,
happy simply to be wherever we were.

You loved your long walks,
happy hour on the porch,
and curling up beside us on the couch,
your head resting gently in our laps,
content just to be close.

And when tiny kittens needed comfort,
you became their warm, patient bed—
a big, gentle body to curl against.

You never needed to be
the centre of attention.
You just wanted to be part of it all,
quietly sharing our days.

And now the house is far too quiet.

We still catch ourselves looking for you—
at the door,
beside the bed,
under the table—
in all the familiar places
where you should still be.

Our hearts are broken
because the space you filled
was so much bigger than we knew.

You travelled a long way
from that roadside in Kentucky
to make a special place in our hearts.

Goodbye, sweet Blackie.

The house may be quieter without you,
but our lives will forever be fuller
because you found your way to us.