I woke up to news I never thought I would receive – my father passed away.

Lucky never left my side through one of the toughest seasons I endured. I grieved a parent and my dog’s presence reassured me that I was not alone.

Lucky sat beside me as I mourned the loss of my father.

My poodle curled up next to me in the childhood bedroom I shared with my sister as we processed what we were going through. He sensed our pain and lived it with us.

2020 is a year I’ll never forget.

Losing a parent was a nightmare.

I experienced loss in my family for the first time. Something I feared growing up. I did not know I would face this so suddenly and early on in my life.

Lucky is a 10-pound toy poodle. A small, brave, loving dog. He has golden, cream-colored curly fur and light brown eyes.

He was a few months old when we first met. I was 10 years old. At first, I was afraid of him because of his small, loud barks. He was also my first pet. Later, my sister and I discovered his personality.

He loves the outdoors and is full of energy. I soon learned that he is cuddly and likes being warm.

In the mornings, he is my alarm, as he hops and runs around my home and towards the door, signaling the beginning of a new day.

Lucky is brave and will bark at anyone who he thinks will be harmful to the people he cares most about. He will do his best every day to protect his home and family.

Behind his bold personality is a loving poodle who is loyal to his family.

An intelligent poodle, he understands human beings.

Lucky will greet people and make them feel welcome once he gets to know them. He senses when something is off with someone he is close and when someone is sick. Lucky will sit by your side and lean on you. He makes himself available to you.

According to the National Library of Medicine, pets support their owners with mental health conditions, through encouraging social contact and distraction from the owner’s problems.

Human beings can rely on their pets for a support system.

Lucky has experienced and lived through many seasons alongside me, despite our short lives. I had Lucky to support me throughout the loss and moments of grieving.

I could rely on him for a hug when I needed it. He sat next to me and watched me while completing school online during the COVID-19 pandemic. He stayed awake with me many nights when I could not fall asleep.

Lucky has always been a comfort to me.

He was with me as I faced this process and was always there for me. The grieving process is one that never ends.

According to the National Library of Medicine, key themes included positive impacts on owner wellbeing and happiness through providing purpose, companionship and self-acceptance, pleasure and distraction, as well as lessening emotional pain and suffering and reducing risk behaviors.

There is a correlation between happiness and well-being through the relationship one has with their pet.

Lucky has experienced many joyful and sad moments with me. I have watched how the loss has also affected him. For a long time, he would search my home and hope for my father’s return.

I know he cannot heal me and fill the void. Every day I look at him and remember everything we have persisted together and how much we have grown. We’ve come a long way and our relationship remains.

Lucky is a reminder to be strong every day and take good care of those you love and value.