Hi Ted !

My name is Samuel P and I think I love my dad as much as Marty loved you.

          

Every day is precious so I really like getting up early in the morning and look out across the valley to see what kind of a day it’s going to be that day.

We go dip netting for salmon on the Chitina which makes up a lot of my diet over the year. And get a fresh ½ cow every year off the homestead in Haystack. (besides moose, caribou, grouse, mmm, yummy,  I’m hungry now.)

    
My dad is a school bus driver so I have to go to work with my mom during the school season. But her office is the 3rd floor of an elevator-less building. I don’t like it. So as long as there are snicky-snacks in the frig up there, I guess I can make it!

I have a pen-pal back in Michigan. She’s a little girl that was our neighbor before we moved to Alaska. She and I are the same age – her being human 14.5yrs and me doggie 14.5yrs. Her biggest wish is to come to Alaska after she graduates from H.S. to see me again, in the ‘fur’. That’ll be in the summer of 2011. With the help from your book and God willing, I think I can make that date. (besides, what was it, some Border Collie over in the U.K. lived to be 27, why can’t I?!)

And when it’s time to cross the Rainbow Bridge, I’ll look for Marty. I just know we’ll become best of friends while waiting to see our dads (you guys) again. I’ll tell him your promise you made to him and how he, Marty, has helped and inspired so many others in his wake.

All dogs do go to Heaven and there is no Heaven without dogs . . .