For many seniors, 2020 is a complete wash. With school getting canceled, the ideal year that many seniors had envisioned was gone pretty quickly. No “senioritis” since you were home all day! One of the worst things for some (and the best for others) was graduation getting canceled. Schools and individuals found creative ways to celebrate graduation for thousands of seniors across the country.
Corie and Dylan Bliss decided to do something special for Dylan’s graduation.
When the New Hampshire senior’s graduation was canceled, he and his mother did something that was special for them. Dylan put on his cap and gown and did a shoot with their rescued dog, Ruger.
It was made special since Ruger had been by Dylan’s side since first grade.
Ruger was adopted 10+ years ago when Dylan was just a little kid in elementary school. Now, a decade later, Ruger gets to be with Dylan as he graduates. Ruger, as told by Corie, is one of the most loyal dogs around. He goes with the family everywhere.
Corie got the idea while looking through old photos.
Looking through old and emotional photos (something moms of graduating seniors are prone to do), Corie saw a photo of Ruger and Dylan when he was going to his first day of first grade. When she saw Ruger as a puppy and Dylan as a kid, she knew that she wanted to remake it.
The moment has more than just nostalgia associated with it.
When Corie saw the photos, she started crying. One one hand, she was crying as she felt the passing of time a little more at that moment. On the other, she was upset because of the news that the family had gotten recently. It wasn’t good news.
Ruger had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had only a few months to live.
The realization was incredibly difficult for Corie and the family. Finding out that a loved pet only has so long to live can be a hammer blow to your heart. When Corie was looking at the photos of her son and Ruger together, it all came crashing down to reality.
Instead of sitting in pain, she decided to remake the photo.
With three to six months to live, they scheduled a time to make sure the photo would work. Using the photo of Dylan and Ruger as little ones and then them now, years later and years wiser seemed like the perfect thing to do. Corie knows it’s a bittersweet moment all around.
“Came home after shedding some serious tears learning that Ruger’s cancer is back and in full force,” Carrie Bliss wrote on Facebook. “He was so happy to greet his momma, as he does Every. Single. Day when I got home with the bad news. After speaking with his oncologist, I learned that most likely he only has 3-6 months. He’s feeling good right now, so we plan to be living life to the fullest! My heart is completely broken, but grateful to have some time left with my baby.”
Thankful for her son and her dog, Corie knows that Dylan has his whole life ahead of him and Ruger played a key role in that.
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