To the Editor,
The recent passing of our dog Lily, an extremely loved family member, has reminded us once again how fortunate we are to live in such a wonderful and caring community. Some may remember an article in this paper seven years ago when our beautiful little four-month-old puppy saved the lives of our son Brian and his wife Meaghan. Lily alerted them to a fire in the roof in the middle of the night. Due to the location of the fire the smoke alarms were not triggered, and Lily’s keen senses and warnings allowed them to escape just minutes before the roof collapsed.
While this letter begins as an obituary, it is only part of the story. Lily was a patient of MacCormick Veterinary. Through several cancer surgeries and treatments, at first with Dr. Brian MacCormick and later with the new owners Dr. Bob Van Delst and Dr. Kimberley Joyce the care, empathy and understanding of the entire team at MacCormick Veterinary has never waned and has helped us through all aspects of Lily’s life. Lily was a gentle and loving Lab and actually enjoyed her trips to the vet which is testament to the reception and care she received.
On Jan 4th, due to a rapidly deteriorating condition, it became necessary to put her out of her misery. It was the end of the day and the staff stayed open and waited well past the normal closing time. We are so grateful to Dr. Bob and Kathleen and all the staff who were so kind and empathetic during this extremely sad and difficult time.
Anyone who reads this newspaper knows just how important local business is to our community. This is a perfect example of just how important the relationships that we develop and maintain with them are. In our experience, the locals will always be there for you.
Thanks again to Dr. Bob, Kathleen, and the entire MacCormick team for helping our family through a difficult time with such accommodation, care, and grace.
The Simpkin Family
Charlie, Valerie, Michael, Crystal, Brian, Meaghan, Cole, and Chase
