After a bout with pain pills in September of 2013, Patrick nursed me back to health upon leaving the hospital with my life.
I rescued Patrick from a pet store in August of 2013 where he kept getting marked down in price. Nobody wanted him. He had been in that store for 8 months already. I used to call him my little songbird becuase he used to quietly howl to himself in his cage at the store. He had completely given up on anyone taking him home. His little howls provided a sense of comfort to him. Even though I had 2 dogs already, by August of 2013, I couldn’t watch him be sad anymore. So, I took him home and named him Patrick. I named him after the late great, Patrick Swayze because I always felt terrible the way Mr. Swayze died.
By September 17th, just one month later, I slippped into a 5 day coma from all the pain pills that I’d been taking over the prior two weeks. On september 22nd, I left Lennox Hill Hospital in NYC and escaped with my lfie. The hosptial recommended that I stay for at least antoher week. I even had to sign formal discharge papers to acknowledge it was against the advice of the hospital.
The only reason I left the hospital early, despite the condition I was in, was for Patrick. I knew he was wondering where the man was that rescued him from the store. I knew he was feelng abandonded again. My two other dogs were fine. They’d been with me for years alraedy and felt secure about life. The staff at the hospital took me to the lobby in a wheelchair. Then they handed me a cane and walked me outside on 77th street and Lexingtin Avenue. It took me an hour just to walk a few blocks to 74th street and 2nd Avenue. But, I didn’t care if took me 10 hours. I would’ve swam across oceans and moved mountains to see my boy.
As you can see in the covered collage picture on the Top right, Patrick was nursing back to heath after I left the hospital. Patrick was only 7 pounds, but could take me to my knees with just a stare. We were completely in love. He’s the reason I walked out of Lennox Hill Hospital with my life on September 22nd, 2013. He’s also the reason I turned my life around. I was so enamored and inspired by Patrick that I started writing about him every Tuesday. The posts were titled “Happy Poppy Tuesday.” Poppy was one of my many nicknames for Patrick. The underlying message of Poppy Tuesday was a message of hope. It was about the little boy that could. Eventurally, I worked my other rescues into those weekly posts as well. If you have the time and patience, feel free to scroll through all those Tuesday posts from 2014 through July of 2018.
Tragiaclly, 5 years later from the hospital incident, Patrick was killed by a car in Puerto Rico on August 19th, 2018. I died with him that day. I’ve never been the same and never will be. In October of 2018, I published a video about my life with Patrick, his death, animal rescue in general, and I introduced a new rescue of mine, BabyLady. The video is very sad and heart warming. But, it ends on a high note with the introduction of rescued dog, BabyLady.
DriveWithCompassion marches on now in the name Sammy, Patrick and my survived Wolfpack.
Lastly, to eveveryone around the world, please Drive With Compassion. There are stray animals in the street.
Sincerely, Scott Smith, Sammy and Patrick’s human Dad, and General to the greatest Woflpack in the history of the world.