Morti Died Today

Posts Tagged ‘Morti Died Today’

June 7, 2016

MORTI McCURDY
Born: February 16, 2004
Died: June 7, 2016
“GOD IS LOVE”

Morti died today. At exactly 10:45 AM, Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in the office of Dr. Marshall Ewald at the Kirkwood-Memorial Animal Clinic in west Houston.

Euthanasia became unavoidable once the bone cancer made it totally impossible for Morti to walk, eat, or even stay awake for long.

My son, Casey McCurdy, and I took Morti to his appointment together. I could not have handled it alone. Casey and Morti, as were my wife Norma and Morti, almost inseparable. Norma had to work and could not be with us this morning, but she also was mom and Morti’s chief nurse to the very last minute of her availability before leaving for the hospital and the needs of humans.

My last goodbye to Morti occurred in the moments prior to Dr. Ewald’s arrival in the treatment room. Morti’s eyes and mine met for the last time of so many familiar face-to-face occasions over the past twelve years. For the first time , however, I was aware of seeing the reflection of my 0wn face in both his eyes, as we kissed our goodbyes. It comforted me. Morti remains in our heart forever now through our memories of his playful little life – through his craving for and unlimited capacity for giving affection – and through the essence of him as true love itself in bounding barking, romping, furry to fuzzy form. It’s how he earned his eternal nickname in our house as – “the world’s tallest caterpillar.”

GRADUATION DAY PetSmart School August 2016

GRADUATION DAY
PetSmart School
August 2004

Morti, my beloved youngest son, in life, you were always the personification of joy, the everything vital, sweet, beautiful, sensitive, and yet strong little guy – and to very end, everything that this whole world needs to be – was to be more like you. Even the bone cancer could not defeat your strong heart, the damn disease had carried you to a point in which you might have lived on in a coma for weeks – or even months – because your powerful heart could not be defeated by the cancer alone. Maybe we should have named you for former Rockets Coach Rudy Tomjanovich. “Never underestimate the heart of a champion” fits you, Morti, as completely as it once fit our local, but world famous basketball championship coach, Mr. T.

Goodbye for now, Morti McCurdy! Today your soul flies on to wherever canine spirits next go, once their careers as loving human heart healers is done. For me, personally, the envisioned course is that same one taken across the summer skies of Houston by the Pecan Park Eagle, so many years ago, from my poem of the same name. In honor of the faith and hope that we shall be together again someday, I say goodbye for now to you – you little winged dog soul specter – as you now streak the wild blue yonder as a spirit that fills the memories of my Houston summer sky on this day, from here to forever – with love, faith, and hope – if only in my mind’s eye, heart, and soul you do fly – at this very moment in time – over the biggest rainbow that awaits us all.

In closing for now, please allow me to humbly add this additional lifting air to the place beneath your wings. After all, you did the same for us – for over the twelve years we spent in your loving company. We are still with you in loving spirit, sweet Morti, and we always will be:

“To soar once more in spirit, like the Pecan Park Eagle,

High above the billowing clouds of a summer morning,

In flight destiny – to all that is bright and beautiful.”

~ excerpt, The Pecan Park Eagle by Bill McCurdy (1992)