When Bill Schiller passed away recently, he received a magnificent sendoff from all of his closest friends and loved ones. There was also a special guest of honor present. As it turns out, the dog that he left behind was not about to get left behind. Chief was adopted by Bill a few years back. In fact, this rescue has been residing with him for five years now.
Anne Marie Sibthorp says that the two were inseparable “They bonded. They belonged together,” Anna Marie said. When the family was in the process of planning Bill’s funeral, they knew that they would have to include the dog in some way. No one could have ever expected what the dog would do next, though. He paid his last respects in a way that nearly brought the house down.
Chief stretched his head into the coffin as far as he could. He then proceeded to give Bill a gentle lick, just like old times. As you may have expected, Bill did not move. At this time, it was as if the full gravity of what had taken place started to dawn on him. Chief laid down with his father one last time and he did not move. He just wanted to be close to Bill.
Nina is Anna Marie’s granddaughter and she captured the moment on camera. Sam James was also incredibly moved by what had taken place. As the owner of the funeral home, he has seen a lot of mourners in his time. He was asked if the dog would be allowed into the funeral home to mourn the loss of his father. James said yes immediately.
He understands that heartbreak is not limited to humans. Dogs grieve, too. They deserve the chance to pay their respects to their beloved humans. Kudos to Sam for being willing to open his doors to this animal. We are sending our deepest condolences to Chief and the rest of Bill’s friends and loved ones. May he rest in peace.
Time heals all wounds. It will be tough for Chief to mend these wounds but he will be surrounded by loved ones as he tries his best to get through it. Now that he has had the necessary closure, the process is going to be a little bit easier. If any animals are in need of a private viewing, Sam is more than happy to offer them the opportunity to spend some time with their deceased owners. Please share this touching tale with the dog lovers in your life.
