A 19-year-old woman from York, England, has had a special dog since she was 6, but she recently had to say goodbye.
Sunny, a Parson Russell Terrier, had several health issues as she grew older and died last month at the age of 14.
The pet of Lucy Ledgeway and her family, Sunny passed away in the arms of Lucy’s father on June 20 after being diagnosed with diabetes last year and ultimately suffering a seizure.
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While the Ledgeway family knew their beloved dog’s time was approaching, Sunny, a rescue animal, seemed to rally a day before she died, giving the family one last good day.
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“She was in bed up until around 2 p.m., and then my brother got a bag of crisps out and started eating and she started sniffing up,” Lucy told Today. “It gave us a bit of hope, like, ‘Oh, so she’ll be all right.'”
When Sunny passed away the next morning, Lucy was understandably sad and grieving — but then something brought her comfort.
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According to what she told Today, she mentioned to her boyfriend that she wished she could have a sign that Sunny was in a better place.
And Lucy got her wish: The pattern of the clouds in the sky resembled her dog.
my dog passed away in my dads arms this morning seconds before setting off to the vets. later in the day we went out to clear our head and i cried to my boyfriend in the seat she died in, just begging for a sign that she’s okay. this is what I was blessed with🥺🐾 pic.twitter.com/4KVPZnDYDp
— lucy (@LLedgeway) June 20, 2020
“I was in shock really, in disbelief,” Lucy said. “The thing is, I was sad all day and then as soon as I saw her, it just made me laugh. It made me giggle to myself and it made me happy. And I think that happening has made it easier to grieve.”
“[M]y dog passed away in my dads arms this morning seconds before setting off to the vets,” Lucy tweeted. “[L]ater in the day we went out to clear our head and i cried to my boyfriend in the seat she died in, just begging for a sign that she’s okay. this is what I was blessed with.”
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Omg, the EXACT SAME THING happened to us in April when our baby passed away!
Sending your family a lot of love and comfort during this difficult time!
💙💙💙 pic.twitter.com/sqTYnjKNiH— Jennifer (@XOXOJenny510) June 21, 2020
Of course, many dog owners have wished for similar signs after their pets have passed on, and many commented with their own photos of cloud puppies.
Several people have called the image fake, and others think the resemblance is a stretch, but for Lucy it was real and a blessing.
When my boy passed I was sobbing for 3 days straight. On my way home from work I saw a Mini Schnauzer cloud crazy beard and all. Miss him every day. pic.twitter.com/txyw1a4NoV
— Taylor Harlow (@tayluhh21) June 22, 2020
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“I’m grateful that I’ve seen that with my own eyes, and I know that it’s not fake,” Lucy told Today.
Family members have been featured in many reports and are happy to share their story with fellow animal lovers.
“Sorry to keep on posting on here, but we are so happy to see our little Sunny in all these papers,” Lisa Ledgeway posted on Facebook. “York Press did a lovely full page, The Daily Mail and The Sun, (plus an Australian paper) and Lucy’s talking about her tomorrow on Radio York between 2-6pm.”
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“Thank you so much for all of your lovely kind comments, and on Twitter too, we will never forget you our darling Sunny.”
Whether or not you see Sunny’s face in the clouds, it’s clear this moment was special to the Ledgeway family and brought them a little joy amid their grief — and that, in itself, is a beautiful thing.
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