Enzo Larry-Louis

Roger Caras once said, “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” Anyone who has ever felt unconditional love from a dog knows how true this statement is. For me, this dog is a small, white, fluffy Havanese named Enzo. Our playful adventures on the beach, window-down breezy car rides, cuddly morning kisses, his unforgettable excitement whenever he saw me, and our “toodles” around the neighborhood were nothing short of perfect.  My idyllic world would be flipped upside down in July 2021 when I found a large lump on Enzo, and he was diagnosed with AGASACA, which stands for Apocrine Gland Anal Sac Adenocarcinoma. The most complex emotional challenge that I have ever faced was dealing with his diagnosis and eventual death. 

Enzo’s type of cancer had a high risk of metastasis and a low survival rate of 3 months to one year.  I was devastated.  How could I return to college in a month when he needed me more than ever? How could I leave him and miss precious remaining time? These emotions left me with despair because it all felt very uncontrollable. From July 2021 to December 2024, Enzo underwent five rounds of radiation, three surgeries, and endless rounds of chemotherapy. Despite beating the odds, Enzo crossed the rainbow bridge on December 27th, 2024, and while I was not surprised by an animal’s instinct to fight for survival, I was amazed by how his love for life never wavered.  Watching him undergo all of his treatments yet continue with his life unfazed was inspiring to witness. Over those 41 months, Enzo’s medical report grew to 275 pages which detailed much clinical data, but all I could see in those pages was strength, resilience, and perseverance. 

From navigating through this challenging experience, Enzo taught me a valuable lesson. He showed me that life’s hardships and joys could co-exist. Even though his medical issues were a constant, and I could tell from his body language that he did not always feel well, he continued to do the things he enjoyed, like playing with his toys, chewing on bones, chasing after squirrels, and enjoying his walks. Seeing Enzo experience happiness despite his health challenges shifted my paradigm regarding how paradoxical emotions can exist in one’s life. I realized that instead of allowing sadness to overtake me, I should focus on making our days together as fun as possible. As it turned out, Enzo and I shared so many incredible adventures because of his diagnosis; it fueled my determination to make our time together memorable. We surfed together, flew to visit my sister, went on bike rides, watched 4th of July fireworks, and ate filet mignon weekly. Enzo’s story could have easily been about perservance but the most important lesson he showed me was how to balance contradictory emotions. As I encounter adversity or high stress situations, I now bring the perspective that one emotion does not need to outweigh the other. Enzo showed me that the key is finding the balance and understanding that moments of adversity can also yield spectacular moments of joy.