Subscribe Now! Don't Miss Anything We Post. Join Our Email List Today.

The Mailman Ensures Her Final Wish Is Fulfilled

The sad news is that Gretchen the German Shepard has passed on – but with every cloud there is a silver lining, and that silver lining came in the form of the mailman.

A man in a government uniform who ensures her legacy continues to live on.

The Cimino family adopted Gretchen in 2013v has a rescue dog. It was plain to see that up until that point there had not been a lot of love in her life and very little if any attention.

She didn’t really trust people, all people to be quite honest. You could tell from her reactions and interactions with people that she was deeply mistrustful of everyone she came into contact with.

Courtesy of Chris Cimino

But with lots of love and all the attention a dog could want Gretchen very soon began to adore her new family. Though strangers were another matter altogether.

Then one day she met the postman. Usually, interactions between postal workers and dogs don’t go too well. But this postman, Fernando Barboza, is a dog lover, that’s very clear to see.

Courtesy of Fernando Barboza

He became a postman about 5 years ago, and since then has come to know just about every dog on his route, even their names.

In his truck, he has a bag of treats, and whichever door he goes to, if there is a dog, it gets a treat. His philosophy is simple, if he is bringing a package for a dogs owner, a dog is part of the family so they should receive something too.

When she first met Fernando found Gretchen to be a little aloof and standoffish, so he would talk to her and give her the odd treat. “When I first met her, I was kind of worried,” Barboza said. “She was a little standoffish at first, but then I started to talk to her, pet her and bring her treats.”

It was in this fashion he came to know her, and with a little patience and a few treats, they became friends.

Courtesy of Chris Cimino

So, in a nutshell, a friendship was formed and with that a tradition that was to last for the rest of Gretchen’s life. She would wait with bated breath for her friend’s arrival every single day of the week.

“She knew the sound of the mail truck and she would perk up and get ready when she heard it,” Cimino said. “[Barboza] just wore away that callus she carried with his good nature and love for her. And she loved him too.”

“She was my buddy,” Barboza said. But this week, that tradition sadly ended. “On Monday, I saw Gretchen’s family’s mailbox had its flag up, which meant there was outgoing mail,” Barboza said.

It wasn’t a typical parcel, however. Inside was a bag of dog treats — and a message to Barboza delivering some heartbreaking news:

Courtesy of Chris Cimino

“Gretchen passed away yesterday. She asked me to ask you if you would share her treats that she never got to finish with the other dogs on your route. She always enjoyed seeing you come to the door and was always happy to get a snack from you.”

“I saw the bag and read the note,” Barboza said. “I was choked up. Afterward, he went to the Ciminos’ door to express his condolences — promising to carry out Gretchen’s final wish.

And he has. “I’ve been giving out her treats to the dogs on my route every day. And when I do, I always say, ‘This is from Gretchen,’” Barboza said.

The sweet gesture has helped both Gretchen’s family, and her dear friend Barboza, cope with her passing.

Courtesy of Fernando Barboza

“It’s been both happy and sad,” Barboza said. “I’m sad when I think about her, but I’m happy to see the other dogs’ tails wagging like crazy when they get the treats. It’s bittersweet.”

“I know that she would have wanted her favorite things that she couldn’t finish to go to her friends,” Cimino said. “She may not have liked many people, but she absolutely loved other dogs.”

Gretchen’s family is still in mourning over her loss, but they’re thankful for the years of kindness and joy Barboza brought to her — and is continuing to spread to others on her behalf.

Barboza admits that, when passing the Ciminos’ home now, he has to remind himself that Gretchen is no longer there waiting for him. However, along with the treats he’s handing out for her, Barboza’s also carrying Gretchen’s legacy in his heart:

Courtesy of Chris Cimino

“I still expect to see my old buddy Gretchen, but of course she’s not there anymore,” he said, adding that, despite her passing, in some ways, she’ll always be around. “To me, dogs become a part of us.”

For more details please go to thedodo.com.

Please remember to SHARE this story with all your dog loving friends.

 

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *