Mandy Sue Freeman 1/11/99 – 7/2/2006
Mandy Sue (my beagle) came to me at a time I was experiencing a number of challenges in my life. About 6 weeks before Mandy came into my life I was at a local Renaissance Festival. I have never, ever talked to a psychic. My mom had warned me that they give have truths and that they can mislead. She told me as a teenage girl she went to a psychic who warned her that her father would die and how it would happen. It worried my mom for a year and then it happened just as she said. Mom told me never go, you don’t want to know and she worried that it may not be Christian. So, I never went. For some reason I did this day. I was just walking out of the fair as it was closing at sunset and had a feeling to stop and talk to a lady sitting at a chair. She took my hand and told me 2 very personal things about me that was very specific and only I knew. It was information she could not have guessed. She then said this information was to validate that what she was to say next is coming. She said you are about to experience “unconditional love” it will come into your life next month and this love is so real it will change me for ever. She said “this will come from where it will not be expected.” She went on to say this love will change my life and will be a soul mate for all my life and will always be there. She said the signs were extremely strong. She said “watch for the big dark eyes.” That was it. That was all she had to say. It was short but I walked out in shock. She knew some things about me that were so specific I knew something is in our lives we don’t understand. I had been there alone. No one could have told her and I could not have given her the information because all I said was hello. It was like being in a movie or in a dream. It took hours to come out of it.
I thought wow that is wonderful. I told friends later in the week about my experience. The experience of the psychic knowing specific information about me told me there is more than we know! I forgot about what she told me about the love of my life. I joked to friends that I probably would have a relationship with someone soon. What was so impacting is what she knew! It does not come to me until later; she never said it was going to be with a human…
The following month my mother came to see me. I had been having stomach problems and she thought she could help by cooking home cooked meals for a couple of weeks. One weekend day we went out to the mall. As we walked by the pet shop I noticed a little puppy sitting in a cage at the very back of the store. I suggested to my mom that we go in and look at the pets. As we walked around the store I continued to notice this little puppy sitting there as people walked by it. It didn’t move and it looked like it was watching me. As we got to the little beagle it started jumping up and down and licking the glass. My mom suggested we ask if we could hold it. Mom said, “It looks like it really likes you Don.”
My mother really never liked dogs. I never owned a pet growing up or any other time in my life. My mother fell in love with this puppy. When I took it home that evening it started jumping on everything, chewing the furniture and throwing up on the floor. The next Monday morning I called my mom and told her to get the dogs things together because I was going to take it back (24 hour return policy). I told her that I would not be around enough to take care of it and it was going to tear up the house. My mom started hysterically crying saying I can’t. She said this dog loves you. You have to keep it. Very unusual for my mother so I said I would.
I named the puppy Mandy Sue. Mandy’s mother was Sue and her grandmother was Mandy.
A month later I was sitting outside with Mandy and she was sitting in my lap looking at me with those big beagle brown eyes. She had large black circles around her eyes making it look like she had eye makeup on. She just kept looking at me (as she did for 8 years) and then I hugged her. I said “you are my soul mate little girl”. She jumped up and licked me and just went crazy. I suddenly remembered the words of the psychic. I had found unconditional love at a time I really was in need of it. Then I hugged the dog as a tear went down my face. Mandy licked my face and I knew then I had something very special sitting there on my lap.
Mandy Sue had a profound impact on my life. She was there with me when mom passed. Mom was calling me every other day asking how Mandy was. Before this me and my mother only called and talked maybe once every two months. My mom lived in Oklahoma and I lived in Arizona. My mom came out several times over the next year and half because she wanted to see Mandy and she would take her for walks and play with her. It was actually good for my mom who needed that extra exercise. Mom would call my voice machine when I was at work telling Mandy “I love you Mandy Sue”. Mom sent me two birthday cards, one from her and one from Mandy. She sent me Father’s Day cards from Mandy with wonderful words of love. She would buy gifts from Mandy to send me. When I visited mom in Oklahoma she would have pictures of Mandy in her bed room, living room
and on the kitchen fridge.
When Mom went into the hospital learning she had terminal cancer she had a picture of Mandy on her table next to the bed (no kids or family just Mandy). When I walked into the room the first thing she asked is “how is Mandy?” I added Charlie (beagle) to the family a year later and Mom added him to the picture and wanted to meet him. Three weeks before she passed she insisted she wanted to visit me in Phoenix again. She wanted to see and hold Mandy one more time. Can you believe that? She also wanted to see Charlie. My mom passed 3 weeks after visiting. She did have the chance to hug Mandy again and hold the new puppy Charlie. These are all dogs but they brought so much love.
For weeks after my mom passed Mandy would go to sleep on the bed my Mom would sleep on when staying with me. She would often jump on that bed and just lay there. The only other times she had slept there is when Mom was visiting. She would also lay by the door and whimper. It made me feel my mom was near.
Mandy was a gift in my life. She taught me to be patient, giving, what unconditional love is and to give attention to those I love. She taught me the love of animals and I have become an animal lover. She brought me closer to my mom during that last year and a half of her life on Earth. With Mandy there was always a feeling of my mother around. The psychic prediction did come true, she was my soul mate and I have experienced a great unconditional love that greatly impacted all parts of my life. Mandy also impacted lives of many others who grew to love her. I became more open to being cared about and dedicated to spending more time at home. She is even one of the reasons I felt I needed to leave my current employer that was taking up 12 hours a day 6 days a week. Mandy enjoyed ever experience in her life. As Mandy suffered with the same kind of cancer and symptoms my mom had, I was reminded how meaningful our time on Earth is. I am pleased I left my employer and had two full weeks at home all day with her before she left this world and jumped up into the arms of my mother.
On July 2nd, 2006 I woke up to find Mandy Sue lying next to the bed below where my head was. I woke from a sound sleep feeling Mandy was going to leave me. I jumped up looking for her since she was usually sleeping on the bed. I looked around the room and saw her just below my head on the floor looking out at the room. When I called her name she sat up appearing weak, shacking and as if to weak to stay up, looking out into the room, then laid back down. Charlie and my newest beagle puppy Baxter came into the room. Charlie licked her face and smelled her, then laid next to her. Baxter smelled her and just sat looking at her. I knew Mandy was ready. After 6 months of fighting her cancer, surgery and chemo therapy, she had finished her fight. Surgery and chemo gave her at least 4 additional months of fun running in the yard, protecting the house and playing. I also had her to enjoy too. I appreciate her fight for life. I held her in my arms and took her to the vet at about 8:00 am which was about a 30 minute drive. I sat in the backseat and Ric drove. As we left I heard Charlie who grew up with her and was her pal for 6 and a half years scream. He screamed like a baby. To this moment I can hear him. It was a scream as if he was hurting, which I know in some way he was. He knew.
On the way to the vet Mandy looked around as she laid her head on my shoulder. She looked into my eyes as she would always do. She watched the traffic. She really always enjoyed being in the car. As I looked in her eyes I remembered the day I brought her home and now I knew I was taking her and she was never returning.
In the vet office it was confirmed that Mandy was ready. It was hard. We talked about options but nothing would save her and it was unlikely anything we would do would make a difference but possibly add hours or days that would include suffering and great weakness. Mandy laid on the table on her stomach facing forward. Everything about her said “I’m ready”. I looked into her eyes and cried and said good-bye my little girl. Ric held her and told her what a great loving pet she was and how he would miss her. I whispered in her ear my love and how much she meant to me. I asked her to go to her grandma (Mom referred to herself as her grandma at times), my mom. The vet then injected her and Mandy slowly dropped her head and fell asleep at about 8:45 am, July 2nd. It was so peaceful I had to ask if she had really passed. I held her paw as I often did, one last time. I kissed her face as I looked into the eyes that faded for the last time. As Mandy fell asleep Ric said he saw Mandy jump into my mothers arms. He said it seemed so real and he couldn’t explain the feeling or how he saw it. It is exactly what would have happened. I know my Mom is loving Mandy Sue now.
On our return, Charlie and Baxter were both noticeably upset. Three days following Mandy leaving the puppy Baxter is doing better but Charlie is noticeable down and still not wanting to eat much. I can see in his eyes his world is upside down and he misses his pal in ways we can not understand. He walks the house and yard looking for his pal. Each time the door opens he runs and jumps then starts looking around the house again.
I have learned so much through Mandy Sue about life and the animal world around us. Mandy Sue, I love you. I’ll always be your Dad and you will always be my soul mate and love of my life. Thank you. I look forward to the day I see you again and you jump from my Mom’s arms to mine and I see those deep dark eyes again. I will never forget. Mandy had the markings on her back shoulders of two brown wings with a diamond white spot attaching them. Her coat was longer around her neck. I always referred to her as my little angel. I often pointed the wings out to others.
Mandy Sue is greatly missed by her Dad #2 of 4 years Ric who stayed home with her for 6 months as she fought cancer. She adored Ric and would sit for hours at a time looking at him. She is greatly missed by her best life long friend Charlie Budwise and new pal and puppy of one year she helped, to raise Baxter Maxwell.
With love forever my angel,
Your Dad Don Freeman, Ric,
best pals and pups Charlie and Baxter.
I look forward to the day you jump into arms again, Mandy...
| Mandy Sue Freeman |
| 2, July 2006 |
| Donald Freeman & Ric |