Yukon's Photo Gallery & Slideshows
Dear Everyone,
It is with great sadness that I relay a message that some of you know and many of you may not. Our dear sweet Yukon passed away last evening in his enclosure with his companion Spirit and a few of his friends present.
Yukon has not been feeling well for a couple of weeks and has been getting slowly worse over the past week. It seemed his legs were bothering him more and, with the heat, he has been off his food. Jean has also been in constant contact with Dr. Michelle about his daily progress. But yesterday it was apparent that there was more wrong. There was a marked physical deterioration and Dr. Michelle was called and she and Brad rushed out to sanctuary. In the meantime Yukon made several attempts to walk a bit but could not go far. He was very weak. He drank excessively but then vomited it all.
When Dr. Michelle arrived and examined him, she determined that he was experiencing both congestive heart failure and liver complications. She felt that all we could do would be to help him along or keep him sedated until he passed naturally - which could have been last night or today sometime - but that as sedatives wore off, he would be in pain. Since he could not just be left alone and it did not seem feasible for someone to stay in the enclosure all night with him due to all the rain we've been having. Beside that, Yukon would get too wet as well. Jean thought of bringing him up to the house and sleeping in the utility room with him - keeping him sedated and comfortable.
But then we realized that we would be causing more trauma by taking him into a strange place and away from Spirit and all that he knew as peaceful and calm - his home. After some discussion, it was agreed by all there - Jean, Dr. Michelle, her husband, Brad, Rick and myself - that the kindest solution of all was to help him pass before he experienced a great deal of pain and discomfort. We also knew that everyone else would have agreed. Keeping him sedated for the night would only have meant facing the same questions and decisions in the morning - while making him wait.
Being aware of Yukon's early history and the fact that I have known him for about 7 years, since before he came to Jean's, I can absolutely say with no doubt in my mind or heart that the years he spent at the sanctuary were the happiest most peaceful years of his entire life. All of you and everyone that has known him, seen him, touched him and allowed him into their hearts can be at peace knowing they have contributed to and been a part of those happy years.
I will miss seeing him romp and play on mornings when his legs felt so good because of all the tender loving care he received from his weekly massages by our dear Joni. I will miss him rolling over on his back for tummy rubs, his long gangly legs up in the air. I will miss having him raise up his big beautiful nose to me in order to kiss my face. I will miss the wonderful 'huffing,' purring like noises he made when I scratched him and loved on him.
I will miss Yukon.
We all need to pull together now and give Spirit extra love and understanding through this difficult time. I think that part of Spirit's depression recently may have been due to the fact that she knew this was coming long before we did - just like Wacipi did with Grandmother. After grieving, I hope that she can heal as well as Wacipi did and find happiness again in her life.
I would like to thank everyone who was there last night. Jean, you are amazing and I love you so much. I don't know what else to say.
Dr. Michelle and Brad are two of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met. They cried along with us and somehow that made it seem better. Thank you, both of you.
Joni had to leave shortly before Dr. Michelle arrived but she left her calming, peaceful touch upon Yukon and I know that helped ease him through his last moments. You gave him power over the limitations he thought he would never overcome and, in doing so, he found such great joy in the last years of his life.
Thank you Rick for being there and lending your calm, steady strength to us all. Your solid presence and true compassion were a great source of strength which was felt and appreciated by all of us.
And thank you everyone who could not be there physically but who I know were there in mind and spirit. You are all wonderful and I love each and every one of you for who you are and what you do.
I miss Yukon.
Love to everyone,
Janet
Thank you for that wonderful email and for being with Yukon when he passed. I really wish I could have seen him one last time. I have a picture on my fridge of Yukon kissing my face while I am sitting on the ground. Everyone who sees it cannot believe I am sitting on the ground with a wolf kissing my face. I try to explain how sweet and wonderful he is, but words cannot describe it. I just tell them to look at the picture again. I will miss him so much and worry about Spirit, but know everyone will give her extra love. I am sitting in court as I read this and tears are rolling down my face. Thank you again for writing such a wonderful tribute to our "handsome boy".
With Love, Courtney Bell
Dearest Janet,
I know it must have been truly very hard to write such a beautiful message about our boy to everyone. You did such a wonderful job, straight from the heart. In time healing comes to all, even to sweet little Spirit, but for those of us who aren't at the sanctuary as often, leaves a deep impression within us. I know what it was like for me coming back and Beau not being there, also Simba, they seem eternal, like death should never come to them. and to have watched and been in Yukon's run with him, was an honor he allowed everyone.
I did receive a message on my ans. machine yesterday, unfortunately I was outside and didn't hear the phone, and by the time I got to it in the evening, it was too late to phone Jean. She was very upset, and I couldn't understand really what she was saying, but I did hear Yukon, and I knew in my heart something had happened to him..
Jean has two angels of healing with her vet and husband, and is surrounded by so many angels, all of you volunteers, she should never feel lonely or sad with you girls and fellows with her.
I know in time, it could be a long time, and with the wolves getting older, it is something we all have to expect, but it doesn't come easy does it when their time comes.
love to you and all from Anne and Harry
So glad I have wonderful pics of all of them. and I truly will miss Yukon.
BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE JANET... THANK YOU
WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE YUKON A PROPER BURIAL THIS MORNING AND APPRECIATE JANE GIVING BEAUTIFUL WORDS OF FAREWELL. AT JANE'S SUGGESTION, JONI BROUGHT SPIRIT DOWN TO THE GRAVE TO JOIN US. SHE SEEMED TO KNOW HE WAS THERE AND WAS ABLE TO SAY HER GOOD BYE AS WELL.
HE IS RESTING SIDE BY SIDE WITH GRANDMOTHER WHO MAY HAVE AT FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS WACIPI; I AM SURE SHE WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED WHEN SHE DISCOVERED IT WAS YUKON AND SURELY WELCOMED HIM TO A PLACE MUCH LIKE OUR SANCTUARY... LOTS OF LOVE AND PASSION FOR A WONDERFUL ANIMAL AND FRIEND.
MEMORIES OF YUKON WILL BE WITH ALL WHO TOUCHED HIM...FOR HE TOUCHED US ALL.
FARWELL, BUT IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER.
THANKS YUKON.
PAM
Visitors often asked if I had a favorite wolf and I always denied it, but deep down inside I knew the honest answer was Yukon.
After losing Carrie last month I thought my tears had dried up, but apparently not.
Run free like the wind, my friend. You were deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
Barbara
Hello Janet,
I got the phone call from John last night about Yukon , I knew that this
was going to be coming but it is always hard to see an old friend go. I
am sure you will send out a general e-mail with all the detail and was
just wondering if you could include the picture below, it is my favorite
picture of him and would like for everyone to have it.
Thanks,
Austin Brisco
[ It is located in the photo
gallery ]
READING THESE EMAILS MAKES ME SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE ST, FRANCIS VOLUNTEERS.
WE ARE ALL SUCH WORKER BEES AND WORK TO GET THE JOBS COMPLETED TO RUN THE SANCTUARY. BUT WE ARE MORE...WE ARE ALL PART OF A GROUP OF COMPASSIONATE, LOVING PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ANIMALS WE CARE FOR. WE CARE FOR AND LOVE THEM BUT THEY GIVE US SO MUCH MORE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF THE ST. FRANCIS FAMILY.
PAM
Here’s some [pictures] I have taken of the sweet guy. [ These are located in the photo gallery ]
Charles
These are what I have of him! [ These are located in the photo gallery ]
Maggie
Hi Janet, What a very beautiful letter There is little more that can be said. Thank you so much for all your caring and sharing too and your constant support of Jean. Yukon is in all our hearts and on all our Healing Lists as he starts his journey to the garden and his reunion with Grandmother and Beau I am sure they were both there to meet him with joy. We send much love and many many thanks to you and all of the wonderful volunteers who help in so many ways. Little Spirit will be in our hearts and our thoughts with many healing colors coming her way. Much love and Many Hugs to all Ann Force.
Dear Janet,
A beautiful tribute to one of God's beautiful animal creatures. I'm sorry I had
to miss this morning but know that it would have been loving and caring filled
with great peace to send Yukon into that place of happiness, play and fun.
Grandmother more than likely was there to greet him and introduce him to many
new friends. Of course, dear Beau was around as well.
Much love, Sylvia
Goodbye my friend, run free on strong and sturdy legs. You are loved and remembered.
Yukon and Spirit were the first wolves that I had EVER seen close up and were able to touch. My mother (Christa Freeman) had found this wolf sanctuary and had started volunteering. Curious and always a lover of any type of animal I went down to meet Jean and see the wolves.
Jean approached me with a warm smile and a firm handshake. She walked me from pen to pen introducing me to the wolves / wolf-dogs and telling me each story. I'm listening with tears in my eyes and trying not just break down and sob with a broken heart with each sad story. I'm such a sap.
Then we came to Spirit & Yukon's pen. I was told each story and then she suggested that I go into the pen, if I felt comfortable enough. Of course, I jumped at the chance!
Spirit was the first to approach as I sat on the tree stump. She sniffed me all over and allowed me to scratch her. Then in the corner of my eye I could see this very tall gangly and very shy creature looking at me and approaching very slowly. Then as if Spirit had given him the "all clear" signal, Yukon slid up next to me, silent as a...well...a wolf. He nuzzled is whole body between Spirit and myself as if demanding to be scratched. He was not disappointed! I scratched and rubbed and nuzzled both of them, until I was gently but firmly told it was time to go. I think I would have spent the night with them if allowed!
Reading the other letters today, it seems that EVERYONE has had that same experience. And for that I am grateful. For one, that I was able to experience his friendship and for two, that it was not a unique experience. It just proves that even with all that Yukon had been through in his life, he was able to forgive and even love the humans that came to know him.
Courtneay Freeman