22-year-old James William Warner left this world a little too early, breaking the hearts of his family, friends, and especially his dog Ace. The pup was hurting so much he refused to leave his master’s grave.
Warner’s mom, Christy West Warner, shared the heartbreaking photo on Facebook.
Like any mother, Christy was beyond shattered when she learned about her son’s passing.
“It’s like I had an out-of-body experience. I just collapsed. My whole world was broken into a million pieces,” she told the Tennessean.
“Every second I stayed with Will was a joy. He was just larger than life, he was just a good boy. He was so personable,” she added.
The 25-year-old suspect is a son of a judge, and police were able to immediately arrest the suspect.
Christy and her husband, James Robert, had to bury their son immediately as the body had already decomposed. They weren’t even able to pick a casket for Will.
“We’ve been robbed of everything. Every last ounce of closure or peace that we could possibly get from saying goodbye, we didn’t get to do,” she continued.
Tennessee state representative Todd Warner described his nephew as a young man who “loved life and loved people.”
“It’s just a tragic ending to something that should’ve never happened,” he said.
Will’s uncle called him a “typical country boy” who helped his family raise chickens for Tyson Foods. He grew up breeding cattle and growing row crops.
But it was Ace who was beyond heartbroken.
Dogs live their lives for us, giving and receiving all the love they can. The loss of their human is incomprehensible to them and us.
Ace never left the casket’s side during the funeral. The dog lay himself down on the grave when his master was laid to rest. It was a truly heart wrenching moment to witness.
Ace and Warner were inseparable, even going to school together. Ace waited in the truck and he didn’t mind.
“This dog is so special and Will was so proud of him,” she said.
Warner would also bring Ace to church and other family events. Ace and Warner shared a tight bond, and everyone knew it. All Warner had to do was call, and Ace would come running.
It was a love that only Warner and Ace could understand. Ace had a really good owner, hence the dog’s unwavering loyalty and love for Warner. It was a devastating loss for the poor dog.
Experts have carried out studies and research on whether dogs grieve for their deceased owners.
“When an owner passes away before her pet, it can be a confusing, sad, and difficult period, even if arrangements have been made for the animal to be taken care of by someone else,” Los Angeles-based certified behaviorist and dog trainer Russell Hartstein said.
May the entire family, including Ace, heal and find the road to recovery soonest. It’s never easy losing a loved one.
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