Those who love animals and have pets understand that a dog gives unconditional love and support. Our canine companions stay by our sides through good times and bad, no matter what. In fact, most of us can count on our dogs to love us regardless of our flaws, and that’s more than we can expect from most people. For people who are struggling with illness or disability, their dogs are often a lifeline, and they certainly bring a lot of comforts, along with some help as needed. The actor Michael J. Fox had a beloved dog named Gus, and he was an amazing dog for the family.
Fox struggles with Parkinson’s disease and Gus has been by his side for more than 12 years. Sadly, Michael and his family had to say goodbye to Gus, and Michael took to Instagram to describe his beloved dog as a “wonder dog” who was a constant source of support. Now, Fox has to keep up the fight, but without his best friend. In fact, Michael says that he didn’t rescue Gus. He claims that Gus rescued him. Gus was a Great Dane mix and was 12 years old when he passed away, so he got a lot of years with his loving human family.
Michael says that Gus always knew when his dad was feeling down and was there to pick him up emotionally, comforting his owner in every way imaginable. With Parkinson’s, Fox has struggled with walking and talking, and Gus played a huge role in helping him whenever he needed help. Michael says that no matter what his situation was, Gus was with him and connected to him. He describes it as a “force multiplier.” In his memoir in 2020, Michael said that Gus was his constant support through all of his struggles.
The big sweet dog passed away on April 12th this year. For a Great Dane, 12 is a grand old age. Rest in peace, big guy.