Nov 264 min read

The Loss of My Little CEO, Best Fiend, beach bum and FurBaby

Updated: 2 hours ago

11/25 usually means the countdown, one month till Christmas... For me, it is 2 months since my little Chloe, My Little CEO, Best Fiend, beach bum and FurBaby, crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, my little helper and CEO of HL Sea and Beach Glass Jewelry and professional beach bum buddy. She was deaf but could hear better than her hearing counterparts and cued off of gestures and hand signals, and you would never know of her handicap.

She was a rescue by Chelsea Boxer Rescue and was already 6 years old. She was used by a home puppy mill breader from Tennessee, who did not know she was even deaf and just wanted to dispose of her once she could not be used for her monetary purpose. She was only 40 pounds and about 15 pounds underweight and acording to the vetrinarian just recently had a litter. The stars and moon were aligned and she was mine with the help of Loretta, a fellow nurse and volunteer from Chelsea Boxer Rescue. She reached out and said I have 2 dogs that may be the perfect match for me. One was in NJ and the other right in Patchogue that she was fostering. I decided to go with the closer option and drove over. Upon the introduction, I was informed Chloe, aka Zena was her prior name, was deaf, and with my uncertainty of how to communicate and train a deaf dog. Loretta said, it was the same as any dog but with hand signals. To reassure me, Loretta told me to take her home for the week and see how things go and give it a try and before your next 4 day work stretch at the hospital, bring her back and think about it. Chloe was amazing, always held eye contact and awoken to any vibrations as I moved from room to room and she followed me around like a shadow. She loved car rides and the beach more than me I think! I returned her before my 4 day work marathonand and could not wait till Tuesday morning once my last 13 hour night shift was done to drive back to Patchogue and reunite with what was the most perfect companion I could ever adopt. I told Chloe on the drive home she had some big shoes to fill after my late boxer Tess that crossed the rainbow bridge in June of 2019 and how special she was. Chloe met such expectations, above and beyond in the short time she was here with me on this earth.

She was the perfect dog, she survived heart-worm and the treatment, she got me though the isolating times of Covid while I was working as a nurse in my hometown hospital. We had many wonderful times together and we got ourselves though the rough ones too and we were each others crutch.

She always went where I went and was most happy sleeping at my side, that way she could keep better tabs on my where about's. On September 25th, 2025 at 7:15am she woke up and thrashing to sit up and woke me up. I originally though it was seizure related, and I then relized this was the end. She slipped away peacefully minutes later as I held her, telling her its ok to go. I will miss you and always love you and we will meet again one day.

The reason for writing this is for many, for me personally its hard to talk about her passing as many who knew her, still ask how is she, as many saw her on my interview with Channel 12 News, The East Ender, this past August. My main reason to write this, is to help people realize that you can have the most amazing fur companion through adoption, rather than buying. Chelsea Boxer Rescue is an amazing, non for Profit dog rescue ran by caring volunteers, specilizing mostly with boxers and bulldog breeds with various breed that come though at times. I will admit the application process can be challanging with all rescue's in the begining but for good reason. Most of these dogs have already been though hell and back again, either on the streets, neglected, abused, starved to near death or used as breeding dogs for money and all they want is a loving home that is stable and most importantly safe. So the next time you are considering a four legged family member, do your homework and look into adoption, it can be one of the most rewarding and wonderful expirence. The animal that you are rescuing, may also rescue you!