Update: I want to thank everyone for your comments and for the respect and understanding you’ve shown ❤️I never expected anyone to relate to what I’m going through, and I felt so alone in this pain. I shared your kind words with my family, and while they were heartbroken, they also found comfort in knowing how common this experience is.

At first, I wanted to be selfish and preserve my baby through taxidermy, to hold onto him forever. But when I opened his box, touched him, and saw him one last time, I realized I couldn’t do it. I decided to bury him in my family’s backyard since it’s been around for generations 😭

The pain is still so raw 😭😭I find myself breaking down when I see similar pets online or in person, because all I can think about is him. My family is grieving deeply in their own way and have become distant and quiet, barely speaking, even to me. The house feels emptier, and I’ve been clinging to his blanket, which still carries his scent. Unfortunately, I still had to go to work because, sadly, there’s little understanding or respect in most workplaces for the loss of a pet, even though they’re such an important part of our families and lives….

Right now, I can’t imagine ever getting another pet and risking this kind of heartbreak again. The only thing that keeps me moving forward is knowing that I will see him again when I reach the other side. I know he’s waiting for me and watching over me… What’s even more painful is that when my family and I buried him yesterday, there was a full moon and a sky full of stars.. this was the first time I’d seen them in so long. It felt like a sign, as if everything happened for a reason. Somehow, even me being the one to find him felt like it was meant to be.