Thank you for being our friend

Frey Olson

May 19, 2018 - April 26, 2024

By Allan Olson 4.26.24

Thank you for being our friend, thank you for making us your forever home, if we could’ve saved you, we would’ve.

Losing our four legged friends is never easy, in our house they aren’t “just a pet” they are our family. Frey, our nearly six year old English Mastiff came into our lives in August of 2018 and crossed over the rainbow bridge to be with others before him on April 26, 2024. Frey was our gentle giant, he was our protector, our laughter and most importantly I think it’s more than safe to say, he was Alivia’s best friend. Have you ever seen a teenager and a Mastiff sharing a twin size bed - or perhaps more aptly put the teenager getting what’s left of the bed when he’s in it. Or perhaps a giant of a dog, staring at her from the doorway of the bedroom saying, “it’s bedtime,” while she’s playing a game or watching something. 

He was taught to react to “who’s here” or the alert of the app that lets the kids know when someone is home, he would lumber out the door and climb in the front seat of my car to say welcome home, I’ve missed you, regardless if I was gone a few minutes or several days. 

Frey would spend hours outside in almost any kind of weather just enjoying the sun or the cold ground, depending on what season we were in. 

For me, he was my original walking partner, especially over the last few year,  when I walked at home, he would usually lumber alongside or a little behind, and take shortcuts whenever possible, after a few walks he knew my routine and quickly modified the route to suite him, a couple times I would modify my path back home when he wasn’t paying attention just to make him come find me. 

A couple days ago we got the blow we were not expecting, a swelling on his leg was not something medicine or an easy procedure could fix, it was bone cancer. The recommendation and the right thing was to let him cross peacefully over the rainbow bridge surrounded by those who loved him most. 

As a dad who would do anything he could for his kids, I was literally helpless to help, I could not help our friend, our companion, I could not help my daughters best friend and the hardest thing for me, is I could not take my baby girl's pain away. 

As he crossed over, I could only watch my daughter hold him, her best friend, our family friend. I could not take her pain away, I cannot take her heartache away. 

If I could, I would, if I could, I would take her pain, and all of my family's pain, the feeling of loss, the feeling of emptiness. 

No matter how long we could’ve had, forever wouldn’t been long enough, I wish he could still go on more walks with me, but now he will be running laps around me up above, I wish he could still snuggle with my daughter, and believe me this big guy knew how to snuggle, I wish he could come lumbering out of the house a gazillion more times, climb in my vehicle and give me loving as he only he could do with that big ol’ head and that big ol’ tongue, I even wish he could knock my bedroom door open at least one more time and beat his big ol’ baseball bat of a tail against the wall, causing me to nearly have a heart attack on multiple occasions from waking me out of a deep sleep. 

Frey knew his job here was done and he served us well, he crossed over the rainbow bridge today in the pouring rain, tears of joy from all those who crossed before him, tears of joy welcoming him to his forever home, for there he can run free and eat all the food - including chocolate he wants, for there he can take his naps under the golden sun rays, from there, he can watch over us still. 

Rest easy my friend, your job here on earth is done, my tears will soon subside, my heart ache will heal, but my memories will never fade, Well done thou good and faithful servant, well done, you can rest now, and play forever, 

Forever in our memories, always in our hearts, we love you until the end of time and beyond, Thank you for being our friend. 

Love Always,

Dad

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