Posted on Jul 05, 2017
By Ellie Laks, Founder of The Gentle Barn
I’m sorry, I know I’m talking about Dudley incessantly, but honestly that is all I can think of. I dream about him at night. I think about him all day. I alternate between being profoundly sad by the loss of him, and profoundly grateful that I knew him and got to love and care for him. I miss him so much!
Even though he was only with us for two years, he had the most remarkable life, and made the most profound impact on the world. During his lifetime, Dudley played ball for hours every day. He played chase and keep away with our fall decorations. He fell in love with our other cow, Destiny, and had a wedding. He had birthday parties with hundreds in attendance. He helped adult amputees have hope. He modeled perseverance and resilience to foster children of all ages. He gave and received hugs from thousands of guests from around the world. He inspired thousands of people to go vegan. He was loved by thousands of school children whose teachers made him a focal point of their classrooms. He showed the world how intelligent and affectionate cows are when given a chance. He was the brightness in our days, the peace on our nights, and the love in our hearts. He affected millions of people from around the world who hadn't even met him, and left those of us who had met him in deep, deep mourning. His joy lit up the world. His hugs healed everything. His sense of humor opened up people’s hearts. He changed the world forever and we will never be the same since he was here with us all!
Dudley was a symbol of hope: hope that the world can be gentle, hope that people can evolve to embrace kindness, hope that the planet and our bodies can thrive, and hope that we can all just be happy. Many people think that now that Dudley is gone, the hope is gone with him. I don’t agree. I think there is now more hope than ever! Because of being touched by Dudley, there are now so many more people who have embraced a plant-based diet and who are now open to the miracle of farm animals. We all now stand for the same hope that Dudley stood for. We can all stand for hope now, in his memory.
Dudley’s memorial is on Sunday, July 9th at 7 PM. We are all going to be wearing the Team Dudley t-shirt. Whether you are coming to the memorial or watching the live feed of it, please join us in wearing your Dudley shirt. Wherever you are, we are all connected in our love for Dudley and for all animals! If you would like to order a Team Dudley t-shirt, we have them for you in our store.