Ducati

2013 - 2026

Ducati
Our Guardian, Our Child, Our Greatest Gift
Ducati came into my life when he was one year old and I was forty-two. I thought I was rescuing him. The truth is, he rescued me.
For six years, it was Ducati and me. He was my family, my constant companion, and the faithful presence beside me through every chapter of my life. Then Rob came into our lives, and Ducati welcomed him into the sacred little world we had built together. He had been mine before he became ours—and somehow, through his generous and loving spirit, he helped make the three of us a family.
With his sleek, athletic body, honey-gold coat, amber eyes, and gentle amber nose, Ducati had the graceful beauty of a whippet and the noble, protective presence of a guardian. But his greatest beauty was found within him. He was soulful and deep, remarkably intuitive, exquisitely sensitive, endlessly gentle, and unwaveringly loyal. He seemed to possess every good quality a dog could have—all gathered into one extraordinary soul.
Ducati never needed to be taught how to love. He simply did. He watched over us, comforted us when we were hurting, and shared in every happiness. He asked for nothing except to be near the people he loved. His quiet devotion made our lives richer and our home warmer. He made me stronger, braver, happier, and more successful than I ever imagined I could become.
Ducati was never “just a dog.” He was our child—the best child we could ever have wanted. He was our companion, our protector, our nurturer, and our truest friend. He was goodness without condition and love without reservation. In all his years, there was nothing he did wrong. His life was one of gentleness, dignity, and perfect devotion.
Ducati was taken from us suddenly by hemangiosarcoma, and I held him in my arms as he left this world. The manner of his passing was devastating, but it cannot overshadow the beauty of his life. His final moments were spent where he had always belonged: in my arms, surrounded by the love he had given so freely throughout his life.
Some animals share our homes. A precious few become part of our souls. Ducati was our guardian, our family, and one of God’s most beautiful gifts to us.
We will miss you for the rest of our lives, our beautiful boy. But we will carry your love, your courage, and your gentle spirit with us wherever we go.
You rescued me.
You welcomed Rob.
You made us a family.
You changed our lives.
You were deeply loved.
And you will never, ever be forgotten.