There’s something special about the bond between people and their pets. Whether it’s a dog, cat, bird, or even a tiny hamster, they become more than just animals they’re friends, protectors, and family. So, saying goodbye to them is always hard and leaves a lasting heartache.
Over a hundred years ago, someone had to say that painful goodbye to their beloved dog, Rex. In memory of him, they placed a statue at his grave in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn. This cemetery is famous for being the resting place of artists like Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ebbets, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, but Rex’s grave has a special charm.
The statue of Rex looks like a dog sitting faithfully at the ready, and visitors have started a simple yet touching tradition: leaving sticks on his grave. The sticks are placed gently on the statue’s paws as if waiting for Rex to fetch them. Sometimes, people even leave photos of their own pets next to the sticks, hoping that Rex might watch over them.
Stacy Locke, who works at the cemetery, says it’s hard to know for sure if there’s really a dog buried under the statue, but people love the idea. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more people began visiting Green-Wood, and the number of sticks piled up around Rex’s grave grew. It’s become a quiet way for people to remember their own pets or just show respect to a dog from long ago.
Recently, this unique tradition caught the attention of the internet, and now people everywhere are sharing photos and thoughts about Rex’s grave and the sticks left behind. The simple gesture of leaving a stick has struck a chord with many, showing how deep and lasting the love between humans and their pets can be.
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