From: Darla Fort
To: straydog147@yahoo.com
Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 9:48:31 AM
Subject: Helen Keller

Dear Stray Dog Family,

Back in December 2002 our family adopted Helen Keller, a blind, deaf, albino Great Dane.  Today Helen woke like any other day, ate her kibble, went outside came in and collapsed, she died instantly.  Helen Keller was a legend.  She lived in Montreal Canada for two football seasons, traveled cross country many times, was in the newspaper, won a dog contest and touched the lives of many, many people.  Someone had tossed Helen away as puppy thinking she had no value. ... That person was terribly wrong.  Helen taught us love in ways she will never know.  We were honored to have her as a member of our family.  Our 10-year-old son left to school this morning with his head hung low and in his backpack was Helens collar.  To anyone who may read this and wonder if a dog with "disabilities" is worth adopting I can tell you this much: It was the greatest thing our family ever did!  Thank you Helen Keller for allowing us to love you for all these years.  We will love you forever and look forward to being with you again someday. ...

The Fort Family
The Woodlands, Texas

From: "Bill, Erin or Juana" <straydog147@yahoo.com>
To: Darla Fort
Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 10:50:21 AM
Subject: Re: Helen Keller

I'm so sorry for your family's heartbreaking loss, Darla. Thank you for sharing more about Helen's life. I've forwarded this email to my dad, and we'll share it with our caregivers. There are some who will remember Helen. My dad would probably like to share this with our readers of our updates, too, if it's okay. We'll keep your little boy in our prayers, and also your whole family. It makes us cry too.
Thank you for caring so lovingly for Helen.
Erin

From: Darla Fort
To: "Bill, Erin or Juana" <straydog147@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 3:41:05 PM
Subject: Re: Helen Keller

Erin- That sounds great.  I had talked to Pat the day before she passed (shortly after adopting Helen), and I think about her love and legacy all the time.  Helen was awesome, and if wasn't for Straydog we would have never known!
Thanks so much,
Darla Fort

From: Bill Arnold <billarnold147@yahoo.com>
To: Darla Fort
Sent: Thu, August 26, 2010 1:40:15 PM
Subject: So sorry to hear about Helen's passing!

Darla,

We all remember Helen very well and are very saddened by her passing.

I've reposted two updates from November and December 2002 about the Fort Family's adoption of Helen. (One even includes the short video clip of Neal playing in the 2002 Gray Cup Game.)

Please go to our website to see those posts.

We are very happy you all gave Helen such a great life as part of the Fort Family.

Helen was such a sweet, wonderful dog. We are so sorry for your loss.

Bill

Re: So sorry to hear about Helen's passing!
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 10:59 AM
From: Darla Fort
To: Bill Arnold" <billarnold147@yahoo.com>

Bill,

Thank you.  I posted your link on my Facebook page and friends of mine re-posted it on their Facebook page!

Our dog Winston is very old, and he will soon be joining Helen.  We were so worried that he would die first, but thankfully Helen went first.  Their relationship was truly one of a kind!

Needless to say, we would love to come and get two dogs from you when Winston passes.

Thank you for everything,

Darla

Subsequent Emails of Condolence:

From: Sue D.
To: straydog147@yahoo.com
Sent: Thu, August 26, 2010 3:59:25 PM
Subject: Helen

I was sooo sorry to hear about Helen's passing.  I do remember when she was adopted.  Talk about a match made in heaven!  Please pass along our sympathies to the whole Fort Family.  Our hearts go out to them. 
 
Prayers and Blessings,
Sue D.

From: Marilyn F.
To: Bill&Juana <Straydog147@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thu, August 26, 2010 3:00:00 PM
Subject: Helen

Hello,
 
Helen was the first article I read about when I first found 'Straydog' on the Internet.  Her adoption was a  beautiful story to re-read.  And how sad that she has passed.  My condolences to the Fort family who loved her and gave her a forever home for these wonderful years.  Yes, a dog with disabilities is VERY WORTH adopting.  I've had two 3-legged critters, several with frequent seizures, several with life sustaining meds every day, and several who became blind and deaf  - and some would say 'Put them down'.  I never considered doing that just because they had disabilities.  You wouldn't do that to your kid and that's is what they are.
My heart hurts for the Fort family.  Hopefully they will adopt another dog to give them many years of happiness and love like Helen did.
 
Thanks for all you do for the critters.  Hugs and extra pets to the Chihuahua gang!
 
Marilyn

From: Cher I.
To: straydog147@yahoo.com
Sent: Fri, August 27, 2010 10:43:50 PM
Subject: Helen

I'm very sad to hear about Helen. While all of your adoptions are reasons to celebrate, Helen's adoption was exceptional. I can only imagine the emptiness felt by the Fort family. I remember they had made sure there were no trees in their back yard to make it easier for Helen to play.
What a thoughtful, loving family. My heart goes out to them.
Cher

Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 24 2002

Helen's new family will be coming for Helen this week

     Our rescued deaf and nearly blind Great Dane pup, Helen, will be going to her new home in The Woodlands, Texas sometime this coming week (probably Friday the 29th). Helen's new dad, Neal Fort, who plays offensive right tackle for the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes, answered my email sent yesterday to the Forts, asking them for Neal's jersey number so we can pick him out in the CFL Championship game (the "Gray Cup") between Neal's team and the Edmonton Eskimos being played in Edmonton this afternoon starting at 4:30 Central Time on Fox Sports World. I also asked that if the opportunity should arise (like an interview on television) we'd very much appreciate it if Neal could mention Straydog. In Neal's reply he said that his number is 66 and that he "will give a North American shout out to straydog.org and get as much attention as possible, and with the power of every stray who is out there I should not have any problem winning this game." Thanks, Neal, and we wish you all the luck in the world! [... Later: Neal's team did win and are champions of the Canadian Football League!]

     The Forts are very excited that Helen will soon join their family of two children plus their current family dog, Winston, and we couldn't be happier for Helen. We've heard from Neal and Darla so often these last two months we feel as tho they are good friends. We are looking forward to meeting this wonderful family in person.

Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log

SUNDAY DECEMBER 1 2002

Helen must wait a few more hours, but she's a very patient doggie

     Neal Fort just called at 12:45 from Texarkana. It'll probably be another three hours before they arrive.

     It's almost five now, and we should be hearing from the Forts any minute now.

     At five-thirty Neal called again, and they're still about an hour away. Lots of traffic between Texarkana and Dallas.

EVENING UPDATE

Helen has been adopted and is on her way home with her wonderful new family!

     This is a dream come true for Helen (the nearly blind and totally deaf Great Dane pup). Her new family arrived around 6:30 this evening to meet Helen, introduce Helen to their dog, Winston, and (if all the introductions went well) to take Helen home to become part of their family. They have been waiting for this day since Darla first emailed us inquiring about Helen a couple of months ago.

     Darla and Neal Fort are very compassionate people, and their hearts went out to Helen the minute they saw her pictures and read the story about her on our website--how Helen had been born deaf and practically blind and how she had been found in a dumpster when she was just three months old. Neal and Darla wanted to adopt Helen and take care of her for forever. We've kept in close touch by email, these past two months, and now Helen is on her way to her new home.

The introduction of Helen to her new family

     It was about 6:30 p.m. and already dark outside when Neal and Darla arrived in their big SUV with their two young children, Darla's parents plus their family dog, Winston. Because we wanted to introduce the two dogs on neutral territory, we chose to make the introduction outside the wood fence that surrounds our 32 kennels filled with more than 64 barking dogs.

     Bill had taken a flashlight and walked down to the entrance of the driveway to help guide the Forts in and halfway up our hill to the planned meeting spot, while Guy, who had come in on his day off just to help us with the introduction, took charge of handling Helen because she is so strong. Guy harnessed Helen and walked her outside of the shelter fence and down the driveway to meet her new family. Shortly after Guy left with Helen, I went to "borrow" one of Mother Dog Krissy's three-month-old puppies, Pepsi, and I put Pepsi immediately in with Sweetie, who had been Helen's companion, so Sweetie wouldn't fuss at the sudden disappearance of her best friend, Helen. Much to my relief Sweetie and Pepsi took off chasing each other playfully all around Sweetie's kennel. With those two pups happy, I went to join the others for the big introduction.

All ended up beautifully!

     Darla and Neal fell in love with Helen immediately (all over again) upon seeing her in person for the first time. Then came the introduction with their friendly, sweet dog, Winston, who is a handsome four-year-old fellow. (You have to remember that Helen is deaf and she cannot see well at all--especially at night.) When they brought Winston from their car, the sudden smell of another dog startled Helen at first, and she was a little snappish, but after several sniffy greetings and several walks beside Winston, up and down our driveway (which was lit up by the headlights of both Guy's truck and the Forts' car), the dogs began to get along fine. The short walks, side by side, let Helen gradually realize that Winston was there close to her and that Winston was friendly.

     With the introduction being a success (we were all so relieved!) the Forts got back in their car along with Winston and Helen. Their little girl and Darla's mom were in the back seat with Winston, Darla and their son were in the second seat with Helen (who was sitting on the floor in front of Darla, being petted and hugged by Darla, and Neal drove with Darla's dad in passenger seat up front.

     I'm sure we'll be hearing from the Forts soon! Helen is in for the time of her life, living as a very pampered house pet with her wonderful new family.

The two dogs seem to be compatible as Darla Fort gently
holds Helen while Winston tries to give his mom a kiss.

Also, we want to formally congratulate Neal Fort, who played in and whose team (the Montreal Alouettes) won the Gray Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's Championship Game, a week ago today!