A heartbreaking clip of a four-year-old boy remembering his beloved family dog has moved internet users to tears.
The TikTok video, posted by his mom Erin Sullivan (@patty_mowgli_shenzi), recorded Mack sitting quietly in front of a picture of their late pomsky Shenzi.
“Catching glimpses of your 3 year olds grief after losing a pet,” the caption says.
Shenzi was more than just a pet to the family from Illinois, Sullivan told Newsweek. Describing her as “incredibly special,” Sullivan said that the dog had become a constant companion, especially Shenzi suffered a cranial fracture in 2020 that left her with special needs.
“She was my personal sidekick and she followed me around everywhere,” Sullivan said.
Shenzi’s medical challenges didn’t hold her down for long. Sullivan said that her days were filled with simple joys like hunting 17-year cicadas in the backyard, which became one of her favorite activities in her final days.
Mack had a particularly close bond with the husky-Pomeranian cross, who, being small, was an easy companion for the young boy.
Whether watching cartoons together, where she would curl up next to him, or waiting patiently by his feet at mealtime for fallen crumbs, Shenzi was a constant presence in Mack’s early years. “Some of my son’s first sentences were saying ‘good girl’ to Shenzi,” Sullivan said.
Her heart broke when she walked into the room and found Mack staring at Shenzi’s photo on the refrigerator. “It was a very sweet moment because I knew it was his way of grieving her,” she told Newsweek.
“I let him have his moment and got part of it on video. He wasn’t crying, but the way he was analyzing the photo made me think about how much he missed her in that moment.” After a minute, Sullivan approached her son and wrapped him in a hug.
Social Media Reacts
Her heartbreaking clip has captured the hearts of over 1.2 million TikTok viewers, with thousands of viewers sharing their sorrow for the little boy.
“The way he looked at that picture crushed me,” one user wrote.
“That poor baby lost his best friend,” another TikToker said.
Since Shenzi’s passing, the family has found ways to keep her memory alive. “We had her cremated and her ashes are on my dresser in a beautiful engraved container,” Sullivan said.
Her presence is felt in the home, with framed photos and jewelry that Erin wears daily— a necklace with Shenzi’s name and a ring. Talking about the dog has also been a source of comfort to the family.
“She still feels so present in our lives and sometimes it hits me like a gut punch that she’s gone because I still feel her around,” Sullivan said. “I hope I feel her presence for many more years to come because in a way it’s very comforting.”
The post Tears at What Mom Sees Toddler Doing After the Family Dog Passes: ‘Grief’ appeared first on Newsweek.
