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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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Unfortunately, grief is an emotion that many will experience at some point in their lives, but we certainly aren't the only ones. The internet has been reduced to tears by the heartbreaking sight of a dog grieving her owner, who passed away at the age of just 25.
On June 27, Sophia Ghadoushi tragically passed away due to glioblastoma brain cancer, leaving behind her parents, sister, and her rescue dog, Daisy. The loss has been devastating for the entire family, as her older sister Meagan Ghadoushi, 28, told Newsweek that she feels "completely unanchored" without Sophia by her side.
"She passed away at just 25, which still feels impossible to say out loud," Meagan, of Los Angeles, California, said. "Our parents divorced when we were really young, so Sophia was the one constant in my life—I saw her every day into adulthood. She was my best friend, my safe person."
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The family rescued Daisy in 2012, and she used to be so full of energy and excitement all the time. Later this year, she'll turn 13, and she'll be doing so without her best friend by her side.
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Meagan explained that when she left for college, "Sophia really became Daisy's mom" and their connection strengthened. They were each other's world and truly inseparable.
"They had such a pure and beautiful bond. Sophia gave her endless love, kisses every day, sunbathing together in the backyard, drives to get pup cups from Starbucks. Daisy lit up around her," Meagan continued.
Following Sophia's passing, Meagan and her parents are splitting Daisy's time between their homes to ensure she always has company and support. The loss hasn't been any easier for Daisy, who has lost her spark and joy.
Now, Daisy, who is thought to be a Labrador, terrier, and pit bull mix, just sleeps and cries all day.
Meagan said: "She's a completely different dog now. She sleeps, cries, and barely has any energy. It's not just Sophia she's grieving. My dad, who is also like a second parent to her, can't play with her anymore because of his health. She's confused and hurting. You can see it in her eyes.
"To watch Daisy mourning Sophia feels like another kind of loss. I know she doesn't understand what happened. I can't explain to her why the world suddenly feels so different, and that's what kills me the most."
Meagan's dad suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and was hospitalized during Sophia's final weeks. While awaiting surgery, he managed to leave the hospital for just two hours in order to say goodbye to his daughter and was able to attend the funeral.
A day after burying Sophia, he matched with a lung donor, and his transplant took place two days later.
Having seen such a stark change in Daisy's behavior, Meagan even took her to the vet to rule out any medical illness. The vet confirmed what the family suspected—the senior dog is grieving.
Just like humans, grief can affect dogs in different ways. The website PetMD highlights the common signs including demanding attention more often, being clingy, seeking less affection, increased sleep, eating less, being more vocal, and seeking out their loved one's favorite spot.
Family and friends can help pets by sticking to daily routines and maintaining consistency, offering extra attention, and providing mentally stimulating toys.
As Meagan learns to cope with her grief, she has been documenting many of her experiences on TikTok (@meaganghadoushi). Among her videos, she shared a clip revealing that Daisy hasn't stopped "sleeping and crying" since the loss.
In just a matter of days, the video has gone viral with over 1 million views and more than 190,000 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
Meagan told Newsweek that being able to share her journey online has "been a lifeline" and she's overwhelmed by the supportive community.
"People have been incredibly kind, sharing their own stories and showing so much love for Daisy. People keep thanking me for taking her in, but I couldn't imagine anything else. She's part of my sister. It feels like I still have a piece of Sophia with me.
"I miss my sister more than words. Taking care of Daisy is painful and beautiful at the same time. It reminds me of what I've lost, but also gives me a way to keep loving Sophia through the grief."
Meagan also hopes this serves as a reminder for other owners to put a contingency plan together for their pets, should anything bad ever happen to them.
Seeing Daisy grieve has left plenty of social media users in tears, leading to more than 4,300 comments on TikTok so far.
One comment reads: "This broke my heart and one of my biggest fears. They'll just think I don't love them anymore and left them."
Another TikTok user wrote: "After my dad passed away his dog took a year of grieving before she wagged her little tail again."
While one commenter added: "She's just visiting mom in her dreams."
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