Gone, But Never Forgotten
by Gail Diedrichsen
(An update on the Brody Memorial Fund)

I have lived with many dogs in my life. I have loved them all, but a few became my “heart dogs.” My collie, Brody, was one of them. He and I shared an incredibly tight bond, and his memory will stay with me forever.

I adopted Brody when he was already an adult. He had been held at animal control after his previous owners refused to pay a fine. Brody got lucky when a rescue organization pulled him—but from the day I adopted him, I was the lucky one.

He became my partner in animal-assisted therapy volunteer work and was a remarkable working dog. Paying it forward, we volunteered together for years. We visited nursing homes—where residents fondly remembered Lassie—and classrooms, where we encouraged reluctant readers. Teaching reading was where Brody truly put his best paw forward. He was deeply loved and served as a fantastic ambassador collie for Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois (CRGI).

The day after Brody left us, Lizzy’s Fund proposed a way to keep his spirit alive. More importantly, their idea allowed Brody’s legacy to continue helping others. It proved to be a powerful tribute—and one that has helped many dogs in need. Though Brody is no longer by my side, his compassion and goodwill live on.

Lizzy’s Fund, an organization that assists senior dogs of all breeds, had already established a strong partnership with CRGI. Then, in 2021—on the day Brody passed—the Brody Memorial Fund was created. It became a restricted fund dedicated solely to helping senior collies.

Even before the Brody Memorial Fund was established, Lizzy’s Fund had already supported twelve senior collies. Since the fund’s creation, an additional eighteen collies have been helped—bringing the total to thirty. Nearly $36,000 has been disbursed to cover the medical expenses of these deserving senior collies.

This July 1st marked the fourth anniversary of Brody’s passing. It feels like only yesterday he was with me. After he died, I was heartbroken and overwhelmed with grief—but creating his memorial became the silver lining in my loss.

The Brody Memorial Fund has allowed homeless senior collies to live out their days surrounded by people who love and care for them.

As Lizzy’s Fund shared:
“The joy Brody brought not only to his family, but to everyone who met him, is being played out over and over again through this amazing dog’s memory.”