This was the message received on June 23, 2000: Please keep Stormy in your thoughts and prayers this morning as he makes his way to the Rainbow Bridge. Renée and Stormy watched the sunrise this morning, and he told her it was time. He's a very brave guy who has been through a lot. Renée is trying to be brave and strong for her miracle boy.

Sadly, the hot, humid Baltimore weather kept Stormy from visiting with us at the recent East Coast GoldenFest. How disappointed I was after having planned a celebration at my house so that I could have some special time with Renée and her boys. But, it was not to be.

Brave, sweet Stormy, as most of you know, suffered with Epilepsy and then very recently was found to have a brain tumor. But, he had the smartest and most conscientious mom who only gave him the best. Every healthful action that was possible, was taken, and it truly allowed him to have much quality time.

There is nothing to say at times like this. There never is. Nothing can console us in these times of grief. People don't have to work through the love that they received from a companionship — only the pain after the loss. And, you have to
think about it this way. For all the love that our Goldens give over the years, that is how much pain one has to work through when they leave us. The more we love, the more it hurts. But, what would our lives be like without those great loves. I don't think too much. And, it is the only reason we manage to pick ourselves up again and eventually force ourselves to venture forth into having yet another Golden relationship.

We wouldn't take back one moment with our treasured Golden gems, not one, good or bad. Not ever. And, there is one very special reason for that. Because in the process, we have become better people as a result of what these loves represented in goodness and devotion.

I thought I would share some special happy moments in Renée's Golden family, though, as there has been enough sickness and heartache to last a lifetime. It is very hard to erase those sad images, but we must let our hearts see and remember and feel the many good times.

Renée shared her Stormy & Breezy with residents at a seniors home, and being the warm and giving person that she is, wanted folks to have a more tangible piece of the loves of her life. So, she had me make her up hundreds of keyrings with various prized photos. I know how treasured these keepsakes are for the folks that Darcy and I visit, and knew they would be big hits in New Jersey as well. And, I wasn't wrong. Here are the 2-photo combinations, featuring Stormy, brother Breeze, and Mom Renée, that were made: