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"Torch"
6/11/2001 - 12/21/2003
It has been nearly five years since Torch left us. I remember her short but vivid life as if she were still here but since her death, Torch has guided me to do things that I'd never thought of while she was alive. With Maggie Lukiewicz, I started CHE to honor Torch's memory and life, in hopes of changing the lives of other dogs. Although I'd been breeding for decades when Torch was born, her death pushed me to learn more and focus my efforts further toward producing health, long-lived dogs. I put aside other goals such as more champions if it meant I was breeding into unhealthy lines. I became more educated into the effects of nutrition and vaccinations, learning that I continue today. For a dog that was with us only 2 1/2 years, she truly changed my life. Here is the tribute that I wrote the first year after her death.
Torch was born into my hands and she died in my arms a little over two years later. From birth, she was clearly a special animal. No one was surprised when I decided to keep her since Torch had chosen me weeks before. My education was her life's work and she did it well. Some lessons were very basic to living and working with dogs--trust, patience, humility and humor. She taught me about time--do all you can each day. We had only dabbled in agility and obedience because I was leaving them for the many years that I thought we had ahead of us. But we didn't have the time that I'd assumed would be there. How could I know how wrong I would be?
Torch's health problems started before her second birthday with some bizarre and inexplicable symptoms. It wasn't until early September that we learned the truth--Torch had an incurable, inoperable form of cancer. This is the point that my real education began. Medical options, treatments, research and thinking through alternatives were the start. But that was the easy part. In the end, Torch taught us about dying--how does a dignified, courageous being face death with her head held high, loving those around her and living every single moment fully. She taught me that I could do more than I thought, be braver than I dreamed, and love more deeply than I thought possible. And finally, as my inspiration for Canine Health Events, Torch taught us that one dog, a young one at that, can touch hundreds of people and dogs.
Beloved friend and teacher of Gayle Watkins and Andy Chmar
