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Well, my mother is 78 years old today. I’ve decided to keep Grasshopper and offer him as a present to my mother. Of course we live together, so Grasshopper is really for me. 

This is Not a bubble gum-ish kind of post. My mother and I have not had a happy life together. We don’t have much in common at all. But, our loyalty to each other is unbreakable. We fought very serious wars together in the last 30 years. My mother is a great fighter. Because of her, I am a great fighter. Having said that, fighting doesn’t produce happiness. And having said that, sometimes in life you have no choice but to fight.

In the past 15 months, we’ve spent more time together than we have in our entire lives. They have been hard times. But our time together during the Coronavirus was better than it was in the last 30 years. Maybe that means something. I don’t know. 

I have to give my mother the MVP award for motherhood on Patrick’s death alone. Jo Ann came to Puerto Rico twice, broken bodied and all. And she stayed with me for 6 weeks each time. Despite our overall unhappy relationship, she knew her son was destroyed from seeing his boy die like that. On that alone, I can forget all the rocky times she and I had.  

But, back to Grasshopper here in the picture with my mother. He’s so happy in the house with my wolfpack and I. He’s very bossy too. Despite being so little, Grasshopper pushes himself right to the center of the pack when we’re all together. If they ever tell my story, let them say I walked with giants. Let them see I lived in the time of Jo Ann Smith and Grasshopper. The little boy that could.

Please Drive With Compassion. There are stray animals in the street.

On June 24th at 1:30 am, a residential building just North of Miami collapsed out of the blue. The building had 130 apartments units. As you can see in the picture, half of the building is gone. Apparently there were structural issues due to saltwater corroding the concrete and weakening the support beams of the building.

9 people are confirmed dead. 150 people are missing. I said it’s very reminiscent of 9/11 because the media kept reporting that thousands of people were missing that day. But, we knew what that meant. I hope I’m wrong, but I believe the majority of the 150 people, if not all, didn’t survive the collapse.

I’ve never seen a building just collapse out of thin air before. Nine people conrfirmed dead and 150 are still missing. Yes, hurricanes and othger natural disasters have taken buildings down. But, out of thin air? No, I’ve never seen that before. On this incident alone, I don’t think I’d ever live in an aparment buidling again. I guess the million dollar question is, do the people that live in the adjacent tower, the one that didn’t collapse feel safe living there anymore? Or, event want to live there anymore?

If anyone out here lives in a high-rise building off the water, I’d seriously suggest you inquire about recent inspections and overall safety measures in place. This is a travesty times a million. Absolute devastation. When the dust settles, there has to be accountability. We don’t just move on from something like this!

My biological father died in 1984 when I was 14 years old. I really didn’t know much about him. I heard he loved to ski. I always hated the cold. That’s pretty mcuh all I remember.

Dennis Brown raised me from 14 to 27 years old. He taught me everthing about life and how to be a man. He was my father, best friend, mentor and my martial arts instructor.

My family and I were blessed to have him in our lives. Dennis was a bright light in a sometimes very cold world. He passed on October 5th, 2015 from cancer. I was in Puerto Rico at the time. I spoke to him on the phone the day before he died.

Some beings are so lit up on the insde that they shine on their exteriror. Dennis Brown was like that. Happy Father’s Day in Heaven, Dennis. You made the world a better place.

Only in America in the middle of a mass shooting epidemic would a judge overturn a ban on assault weapons from 1989 in California. Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of the Southern District of California said that sections of the state ban violate the 2nd Amendment. Benitez also said the law itself was unconstitutional. Furthermore, he referred to the ban as a failed experiment. Lastly, but not leastly, he compared the AR-15 rifle with that of a Swiss Army Knife. 

Let’s break this down:

Firstly, regarding the “failed experiment” comment. Let’s say that’s true (which it isn’t), but let’s say it is true. What purpose or benefit is there to reverse a ban on assault weapons? Why do any civilians need assault weapons?  These weapons shouldn’t even exist inside of civilian populations. This smells like a money reversal to me. Nobody’s disputing the importance of money. But, when it comes to gun money, millons of people, including myself are arguing for Lives before Profits.

Secondly, Benitez says the ban was unconstitutional in the first place. So, in other words, because it’s “so called” unconstitutional, it needs to be reversed. Nevermind the endless mass shooting massacres killing childrean, students and adults. Just pound the drum on the constitutionality argument and distract people away from the bullets flying everywhere. 

I remind people that the Constitution is Not the holy grail. It was drafted by the species of man. Men who owned slaves mind you. Men who said only white men 21 years of age and older, who own land, can vote. Let’s come back to reality in the year 2021 that we’re actually in. Common Sense supersedes the Constitution in terms of everyday life and practicality. Let’s not hide behind the Constitution while people are getting shot up all over the place.

Thirdly, the Judge said the ban violates the 2nd Amendment. Now remember, the 2nd Amendment was created in 1791. It was never intended to be a sick perversion and orgy with guns and killing. It was never intended for assault rifles, semi automatics, or other military style weapons. 

Fourthly, Benitez said “Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment,” – I am 52 years old and I think that’s the dumbest and most reckless comment I’ve ever heard in my life. Shame on you Judge Benitez. You’re an embarrassemtn to the bench.

Thank you for hearing me out.

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.

Henry earned the phrase “The Soldier of Love” back in 2013 because he’s as selfless as they come. When the Wolfpack is happy, he’s happy.

As a matter of fact, Henry and I have a pact, when the other dogs are happy, we’re happy. In many ways, Henry is like Batman. A silent guardian. A watchful protector. That’s how the story of the Soldier of Love came about.

Henry is the last surviving member of the original Wolfpack with Sammy and Patrick. Everyday when I’m with him, he connects me back to my fallen angels. If you want to understand the depths of Henry’s selflessness, you can listen to the audio “The Soldier of Love.” It was originally recorded in 2013 and is only 1 minute long. You’ll be smiling for hours.

In observance of Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those fallen protecting our country. Sammy was a soldier for peace. He personified all things good in the world. Sammy passed on January 30th, 2020. – DriveWithCompassion thinks the greatest respect we can show our troops, is to stop sending them into frivolous wars.

We want to thank retired Armyman, Emmanuel Enrique Dextre for having the United States Army make this uniform for Sammy here in the picture. It’s Not a costume. This was made for Sammy by the US Army.

Sincerely, Scott Smith – Sammy and Patrick’s human dad, and General to the greatest Wolfpack in history of the world. Wolfpack 8 to be precise.

Nine years ago today, Sammy and I were taking a stroll in Central Park, NYC when we stumbled upon an active wedding taking place. This is a true story. The bride halted her own wedding to come take a picture with Sammy.

In today’s digital world people take these kinds of photo opps all the time. But, this was before the word “Selfie” even existed. Nine years ago people weren’t really using smartphones to take pictures. Yes, you could take pictures with your smartphone, but most people still used cameras. The point being is this was a very big deal for the bride and a very big deal for the sign of the times we were in.

Sammy was ahead of his time. He was arguably the greatest dog in the history of time and space. Plus, as you can see, he got all the girls. Would I have married a woman with a smile like that? – Affirmative. In a NY minute.

And yet again, another mass shooting. A gunman opened fire at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) property in San Jose, California killing 9 people and wounding others. The shooter was 57 year old, Sam Cassidy, an employee of the VTA. The victims were his colleagues and they were specifically targeted. After the killing spree, Cassidy took his own life. So, while Covid deaths are down, gun violence and deaths are way up. Walking out of the house has literally become a roll of the dice with your life.

The US has an addiction to guns the world has never seen before. And like with any addition, until the addict acknowledges the problem, the carnage will continue. The US is 4% of the world’s population and yet owns 40% of the world’s guns. Even if there were no bad guys, no mentally ill people, and no terrorists, there are way too many guns in circulation.

The fact that someone is a law-abiding gun owner misses the point. All of it’s feeding into America’s addiction to guns.

DriveWithCompassion is recommending the below solutions in order to eradicate the mass shooting epidemic in the US.
1. Ordinary citizens should NOT be allowed to own any firearms other than a regular pistol that shoots 6 bullets, one at a time. 2. Require all gun owners to purchase gun insurance.
3. Ban ALL Military Style Weapons.
4. Education. – People need to understand that guns are bad news. Just like drugs are bad news. Guns should NOT be a hobby or a pastime. It’s killing our society. Instead of hunting animals or shooting clay pigeons, take your family out to dinner. Instead of your teenagers playing Mortal Combat type games for 5 hours a day, have them volunteer at an animal shelter.

There’s no place for guns in the digital age. Millennials and Generation Z don’t want our guns, greed and wars. It’s time to repeal the 2nd Amendment and replace it with common sense gun control. It’s supposed to be lives before profits. Not the other way around.

Thank you for hearing me out.

My goal from here is very simple: I just want to see my Wolfpack live out their lives safely and happily. And I’d like to meet and connect with nice people along the way.

I don’t care about things like travel and culture. You can put me at the Sistine Chapel or Dunkin Donuts, it’s the same experience for me. It’s about the people I’m spending spending time with. I’ve been this way my whole life just like here in the picture in 1975. I was 6 years old.

It would be nice If my human family and I can cross paths again in these later chapter years. But whether it’s this or that, I’m a simpleton. I just want to grab some coffee, (sometimes wine) and talk animals, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson, Def Leppard and Madonna.

That’s my full picture friends. It’s not sexy. But, it’s my truth.

My birthday wish is for people from around the world to 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 Wolfpack in the history of the world. Wolfpack 8 to be precise.