It took a tragedy to remind us why we’re all here. Our trusted and loyal canine friend, Monty, who has been with our team from the beginning, passed away unexpectedly this week. The whole team has been shaken. I was already planning to come back to Ukraine but the timing was such that I arrived just in time for Monty’s funeral. And what I saw there moved me to tears. His entire family — his mom, Liz, his friends and colleagues who have been on the front with him, those who rescued Monty at the beginning, even those abroad who have never met him in person, came to the funeral or called in via video. We eulogized him, and Richard, who was also with him from the beginning, made him a beautiful coffin replete with Ukrainian flags and flowers. We opened his coffin for a final goodbye. Monty wore his war vest with police patches he earned in the field. Alison sang a traditional Scottish funeral hymn. Liz poured out some of his favorite whisky. Ukrainian police and civilians, foreign volunteers, his best canine friend, and close human family and friends bore witness. He was buried with full honors.
From Lviv
From Lviv
From Lviv
It took a tragedy to remind us why we’re all here. Our trusted and loyal canine friend, Monty, who has been with our team from the beginning, passed away unexpectedly this week. The whole team has been shaken. I was already planning to come back to Ukraine but the timing was such that I arrived just in time for Monty’s funeral. And what I saw there moved me to tears. His entire family — his mom, Liz, his friends and colleagues who have been on the front with him, those who rescued Monty at the beginning, even those abroad who have never met him in person, came to the funeral or called in via video. We eulogized him, and Richard, who was also with him from the beginning, made him a beautiful coffin replete with Ukrainian flags and flowers. We opened his coffin for a final goodbye. Monty wore his war vest with police patches he earned in the field. Alison sang a traditional Scottish funeral hymn. Liz poured out some of his favorite whisky. Ukrainian police and civilians, foreign volunteers, his best canine friend, and close human family and friends bore witness. He was buried with full honors.