If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever. 🖤

With hearts shattered yet overflowing with gratitude for the time we were given, we say goodbye to our sweet, sweet Reggie boy. We are so blessed to be your family. Though his body failed him, his spirit never did. Reggie fought bravely to the very end, held together by love, loyalty, and a heart far bigger than his frame.

If you knew our family, you knew Reg. He was the fearless guardian who growled at the door like a dog, yet the gentlest soul, waiting eagerly for scratches. His tongue which was pug-like and hilarious—made everyone laugh. With a personality like no other, he ruled the house as the boss. Our dogs (German Shepherds) cleared a path for him like the king he was—and always will be. This was his house, and he made sure everyone knew it.

Reggie loved his bum scratches, which made him lick the air in excitement, resting on the arm of the chair nearest his people, and following close as a constant shadow. Never, hiding. Though we tripped over him often, it's that closeness we will miss the most. He wasn't just a cat; he was human in personality and spirit—tender, loving, and endlessly devoted.

When I met my husband - him and Reggie, they were inseparable—trusted sidekicks. He was the only one Reggie would allow to touch him. It took time, patience, a little bribery Chinese food (don't tell him), and more than a few scratches, bites, sleeping with one eye open (seriously), and swats before Reggie accepted me. But once he did, we became BEST friends. Reggie was our first baby together, teaching us how deep and true - love can be.

Reggie bore witness to every chapter of our lives. During the darkest days of my mental health struggles, he was the quiet reason to stay—because no one else knew how to feed him or give him his medicine properly. He was there when we brought our first child home, standing guard as her protector. Even biting us, or scaling both our legs when she would cry, because he feared we were causing it. He laid beside me through postpartum struggles, keeping the bed feeling full during my husband's night shifts. He claimed heat vents and window sills in every home we shared, making us laugh with his expressive faces, crooked lips, and his famous lone fang tooth—later no fangs at all after bravely jumping through the screen door, fighting off a raccoon on the porch.

He walked like a raccoon, which inspired endless jokes about his heritage. The best was that "his mom must have been a raccoon." To which we received the most unamused face from him - every time. He laid close through every long night of my second pregnancy, he knew it was hard on me.

He waited patiently to meet our son, literally, waiting by the door for us to finally be home, even though he did love his pet sitter.

This year will be a little extra hard. Christmas will never be the same without watching him open his presents, thrilled for his yearly stash of catnip mice.

Though he wasn't a lap cat, Reggie always knew when he was needed. In those moments, he curled close, offering the softest purrs of comfort. He sat beside me in quiet nights of prayer, tears, repentance, and faith—bearing witness as I gave my heart to Jesus and rebuilt my life. He understood more than words could ever explain.

High-maintenance he was, regardless of his medical schedule or just making sure he had his treats on time, Reggie was lovingly tended to every single day. People may say, "he was just a cat," but anyone who met him knew better, and they knew how deeply we loved him. He was living proof of trust, patience, loyalty, kindness, responsibility, and devotion. Mostly, a personality like no other. Even when he didn't feel his best, he gave everything he had to our children—enduring being picked up, carried, chased, and tripped over without a single growl, hiss, or bite.

Our home feels unbearably empty without him. Despite the rest of the herd, it is not the same. Reggie was there through it all—the wonderful, the great, good, the bad, and the unbearably ugly. While we have lived so many milestones along with him wishing there were more. Now, we know he is running free without pain, hoarding all the solid food he loved so much but couldn't have here, soaking up endless bird TV—or maybe catching a few real ones.

Reggie, you touched our hearts to the core. You will never be forgotten, we think of you every day, and will until it's time to see you again, you are missed beyond words.

Until we meet again, our silly, brave, perfect boy—rest in paradise. We love you so very much. 💔🌈🐾