In Memory of Nike
Nike relaxing at home
Janet and Nike with her many ribbons
Friends, we have lost a truly beloved Roxy dog. Sweet Nike passed away suddenly this weekend. If you ever had the pleasure of meeting Nike, then you know she was one of a kind. She instinctively seemed to gravitate to those who needed her most and worked so beautifully with all of her Multiple Disability and Autistic Support classes as well as her special friends at Pedia Manor. She will be greatly missed by so, so many.
Here are some words from her owner/handler, Janet Stavrides:
“My dear, sweet Nike, where do I start?
Nike was to be a pet and nothing more. But when a neighbor became ill and needed to live in an assisted living facility, we promised to visit her there. This was the start of her therapy dog career, and we never looked back.
Nike was a very special girl, she was “bomb proof”, and never flinched when the elderly residents would bump her with their walkers or accidentally step on her toes. When we joined Roxy, Nike liked visiting the schools, but she really liked Pedia Manor the most (attested by the research study thru Del Val). Once we saw how well she did with these kids, we were requested to visit a Multiple Disabilities Support (MDS) class at Unami Middle School. True to her nature, Nike excelled there, patient with the wheel chair bumps, the screaming, and the hands grabbing fistfuls of her skin (including ears and lips). She never complained, but always stood still and soaked up the love of the students and staff.
I can’t believe she is gone now. She passed after an especially wonderful day doing one of her favorite things...nosework. It was sudden but not unexpected, so there was no pain, for that I am grateful.
RIP my Goddess, Nike. You are missed by many.”
