He was 13 years old, or at least, that was our guess. We rescued our feisty French bulldog, Bugz, 11 years ago, and he instantly became a family member. He was there for the milestones of marriage, career change, new home and children. He had some challenging quirks to him, caused by an abusive past, but that made us just love him even more.

While visiting family during Christmas break, we decided to grab a bite to eat. I saw a fountain that would be a great distraction for my impatient four-and-a-half-year old while we waited to be seated. As I handed my son pennies to toss into the water, I had no idea that he would have such a powerful wish.