Katherine Sidnell
An entire town showed up to say goodbye to one very good boy as he went on his last walk around the neighbourhood.
After learning that his beloved rescue pup, Mellow, had an aggressive form of cancer, owner Kevin Curry asked his neighbours to bid a final farewell to his four-legged friend.
And residents of Dupont, Pennsylvania, didn’t disappoint and turned out in their droves as Mellow went for a final walk before crossing the rainbow bridge.
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Prior to the heartbreaking diagnosis, Kevin and Mellow had walked the familiar streets of Dunpont twice a day since 2019.
Sadly though, Mellow had begun to slow down over the years and was later diagnosed with a fast-spreading lymphoma.
Knowing that he would soon have to say goodbye to his best friend, Curry left a heart-breaking note in his neighbours’ mailboxes – inviting them to join in during Mellow’s final walk around the block.
The letter read: “Regardless of how well we know each other, you have made my life so much richer than any rescue dog could have hoped for.
“I’m not sure when exactly I will go, but each day over the past few weeks has been a struggle for me to get around the neighbourhood like I used to.
“[I] would love to say goodbye face-to-face if you are available. Come out to pat me on the head or rub my belly and I will be forever grateful.”
Curry even included a map of their route and $5 to use for a gift or donate to charity.
Understandably, the note captured the neighbourhood’s heart and was later uploaded to Facebook.
And residents turned out to pay their respects to Mellow and give him one final pet.
“It is a heartwarming and heartbreaking story,” local resident KJ Warunek explained to the New York Post.
“There were at least 25 people [on the first block]. When I looked to the next block, there was another 20. I’m going to say that was how the whole walk went.”
Though she did admit it was 'somber' during the send-off, people were more than happy to make a fuss of Mellow – even giving him treats.
“Others just stood in the back and cried, so as to not upset Kevin,” Warunek said, adding that he was even given an ice cream from local store, Choo Choo’s.
“However, Mellow knew he was the belle of the ball — he pranced around.”
She added: “[Mellow] only has a few more days on Earth, but his dad gave him the best life when he adopted him. And you can clearly see he was man’s best friend.”
Turns out Mellow was also the town’s best friend too.