Sammy by Judy Itzkowitz

Sammy was a Bichon Frise; he was almost 17 years old. He survived strong for 5 years with lung cancer. He was valiant, loving, and my peaceful warrior. He is always surrounded by love and light; an inspiration.  Following is his obituary from our local paper

Samuel Itzkowitz, born April 18, 1991; died January 28, 2008

Sammy Itzkowitz, a 16 year 9 month old Bichon Frise, died on January 28, 2008 from "old age", including renal failure after a 5 year battle with lung cancer. He fought this battle with dignity, respect, perseverance, love, and determination. My beloved Samuel was the light of my life, my inspiration. He was amazing. He lived each day with valiance, strength, presence, love, and courage; he inspired me and those around him. He had the gift of bringing out the best in people (two legged and four legged).

He brought so many wonderful people into our lives. Without him, we would not have known the people in our neighborhood. Sammy will always be a blessing in our lives. He is loved by his mother, his Gladie, many ³aunts² and wonderful friends from all walks of life. Our lives are so much better as a result of him, what he brought to us each day. He has taught me to cherish each moment, to live in the present, to love unconditionally, to have a sense of humor, to smell the grass, each blade of grass, to savor the environment, to run free with the wind, to show your love of others, and to follow my heart and trust myself. He had an incredible display of compassion. The spirit in his brown eyes melted your heart; you could feel and experience his soul looking into his eyes. He will always be in my heart and soul forever from now until the day I pass and join him. He had such a powerful spirit, a life force, which continued in him through the day he died.

He persevered through many challenges with joy and humor. He never gave up and did so many things "the Bichon way." Any time he was given a deadline, he decided, "not for me." He was only given three months when he was first diagnosed with lung cancer; after he was in remission for about a year and the lung cancer came back, he was given 6 - 8 months. In April 2007, he was given only two weeks. As his friend Kathy said, "Sammy is the Art Buckwald of the dog world." Your mother and Gladie are blessed to be your family; you are my son and the love of my life. We will be forever connected heart to heart with a silver thread, your heart and mine. Sammy had a valiant and courageous spirit and life. He lived his life with the utmost grace and dignity. As his mother, I treasure each moment that we have shared together and am grateful for all of the joys and challenges we have experienced, for walking side by side together in life¹s journey. He has made me a better person.

We are so very grateful for the stellar medical care and love that Sammy received from Dr. Pat Abo, Dr. Laura Roy, Dr. Linda Nachtigal Barbara and everyone at Tolland Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Jeff Philibert, Miss Jessica S, and everyone at New England Veterinary Oncology Group (NEVOG), all of the doctors and vet assistants at Bolton Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Bud Allen, Dr. Gina Silver, and Dr. Amy Matthews. We owe a special thank you to Dr. Brian Corwin, who kept him going strong for much longer than anyone would have dreamt possible and for having a bold vision for Sammy¹s health and well-being. Ms. Doreen Midford of Doreen¹s Country Pet Grooming in Tolland always kept him looking handsome and feeling his best. We are appreciative of the care and attention from Mr. Tim Madsen, of Willowbrook Pet Cemetery. We are grateful to all of the people in his life, who showed their kindness and their love to us as a family.

If you would like to make a donation in Sammy¹s honor, please select a charity that is near and dear to your heart, as that is what Sammy would have wanted.