As much as we would love our furry friends to live forever, unfortunately, that’s not possible. For that reason, it’s important to cherish every moment we have with them and preserve their memory once they’re gone.
With that being said, there’s no doubt this pet dog was truly a good boy. Not only did he have a special place in his family’s heart, but he was also buried in the place he loved the most.
This heartwarming story unfolded thanks to a Louisiana resident named Zach Medlin, who loves taking his one-eyed Staffordshire terrier, Serena, for long walks in Kiroli Park.
Even though Zach and Serena frequently visit the park and enjoy their time together, they never noticed that the park had a special spot dedicated to someone even more special.
As Serena was busy chasing ducks and having the time of her life, Zach was wandering around a park. At one moment, he stumbled upon a small square stone covered in leaves and pine needles.
Intrigued, Zach decided to investigate. He uncovered the stone, and was deeply moved by what he discovered. He said in an interview:
“The inscription was covered by some pine straw. So, I had to move the pine straw out of the way to read what the grave marker had to say. The inscription read: Buddie, 1928-1941. Born a dog / Died a gentleman.”
After reading the powerful inscription that warmed Zach’s heart, he instantly knew the dog was loved, saying:
“It warms my heart to know that Buddie carried his owners through the Great Depression… All dogs deserve a grave marker.”
However, there was one thing he couldn’t understand – why would anyone bury their dog in a public park?
Curious about Buddie’s background story, Zach and Serena’s walk in the park turned into a mystery-solving adventure that will leave everyone in tears.
Who Was Buddy?
Just as Zach began his research, he came across Lora Pepper’s post which already took the investigation to a whole new level.
After discovering Buddie’s grave, she posted the memorial titled “Buddie The Dog” on the Find A Grave website, along with her findings. It turned out there were two possible background stories regarding Buddie.
The first version claims that Buddie was the mascot of a local Boy Scouts summer camp, famous for his heroic act. Lora shared:
“One of the scouts swam off from the group and got in trouble. Buddie the dog began furiously barking to alert everyone and then dove into the lake. The boys were alerted by the dog’s barks and were able to save the drowning boy. Buddie wasn’t so lucky.”
Sadly, as much as she wanted to, Lora couldn’t find any evidence to support this story. Determined, she kept digging until she found the second version. She shared:
“While I was reading newspaper clippings detailing the legend, I found a copy of a handwritten note dated October 18, 1993. It says the following: ‘According to Mrs. Dee Strickland, the dog belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Jones, 215 Breard St., Monroe. Mrs. Strickland lived with the Jones [family] in 1932. The dog was a beautiful Irish setter. Mr. Jones frequently took him to Kiroli Park to run, so when he died, he decided to bury him in Kiroli Park.’”
While we may never know the true story of who Buddie actually was, one thing is for sure – Buddie was loved, and whether a hero or just a loving pet, he was a good boy, and his memory will live forever!