Decker, just a few weeks post op, playing with his only two offspring, sons Jesse and Kyler

Jesse and Kyler. Sadly, Kyler's young life was cut short by a car.

In June of 1995 as Jesse's dad Decker was coming home from his first surgery, I bought him a large Teddy Bear to keep him company. Decker LOVED stuffed animals and never hurt them. The bear was with Decker through all the years of his ups and downs and it became his prized possession. He is the only one that was allowed to play with it.Three months to the day from when Decker died, I had the pleasure (with tear filled eyes) to in person give the bear to Decker's only living offspring, Jesse. The bear still had Decker's dried saliva on it and I think Jesse sensed some of the sadness about the bear so at first he was not sure. But after he knew it was ok and the bear was his now, he seemed to fall in love with it. Jesse is also very easy on stuffed animals so he will take good care of it for his dad.

Jesse, we love you dearly and know Decker would have wanted it this way.

Owners comments...

How do I even begin to describe Jesse? How do I describe what it's like having a third arm, a best friend that does everything you love to do better and with more enthusiasm than anybody you've ever known, loves the same movies you do and will sit and really watch them with you, AND brings you a pillow and a blanket when you fall asleep on the floor with him?
He's only six and seems to know more about life and giving than I do. Up north in the little sleepy town where we spend summers, he is known by the locals as "Jesse the human dog." He's every little kid's pal and caretaker. One day, he came walking down the beach, up to our cottage with a two year old child, herding her to me! Another time he brought a kitten home and before we could tell him "no," he'd taught it to use the dog door. Jesse is the dog you wait and hope for your whole life. He's your make believe friend come alive. I know that God had a lot of fun making Jes and sharing his life is one incredible gift.

Jesse doesn't really like the show ring...{he loves it all when there's no one around}, and I was not real thrilled with the last score that got him his CDX, but after he'd taken the ribbon from the judge, (his paws on her shoulders), and we were leaving the show, he suddenly turned around, ran back to the ringside, grabbed my jacket and came proudly trotting back. That's when the tears really fell! He is wonderful! The toy that he picked out at that show is his constant companion...he wants to take it everywhere and ignores the sad faces of his fifty thousand other stuffed animals. I saw that in his dad, Decker, the first time we met. Decker has a lazer beam that moves through you, searches out your deepest, hidden feelings and then touches them all. Decker KNOWS you within minutes after first meeting you. Upon my first meeting with Decker, he gifted me with his favorite purple dinosaur. He seemed to know exactly how very deeply I admired him. Later, he gifted me with a son just like him.

Just like his Dad, later in life Jesse fought a battle with cancer. This battle included losing one leg. For awhile Jesse's cancer was in remission and Jesse was back to running and playing in the lakes and rivers of Michigan. But, by late 2007, his cancer was back. On September 30th while doing what he loved, romping in a river, a tumor ruptured and Jesse was gone.

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