Monday morning, I was given the tragic news that our beloved petsitter and friend, Joey McGill, passed away. Joey and his wife, Jaime, have been helping me with my dachshund crew for the last 7 years. Joey came 4 days a week to ensure my diabetic, Beignet, was okay and to give her midday meds. He took so much stress out of my life because he truly loved Bennie and would be the first to recognize if anything was amiss. We always joke that Bennie has 2 boyfriends she's obsessed with - her vet and Joey. I cannot imagine not receiving his midday updates ever again. I cannot imagine another family dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Mabry House, without Joey as our waiter. I truly hope Joey knows how many lives he touched during his time on Earth.

Joey leaves behind his beautiful wife, Jaime. I know none of us can imagine the shock and grief Jaime is feeling right now. Not to mention, Jaime was already prepared to be caring for her mom through a procedure the next week or two. She will not be able to have she and Joey's beloved dog, Annabel, with them. Besides end-of-life costs for Joey, Jaime will likely need to board Annabel during this time. I'm hoping that by posting this, we can at least remove Jaime's financial burden. All proceeds will go towards the expenses Jaime will have for Joey's cremation, end-of-life expenses, and pet care for Annabel. If you feel so led, please donate to these extraordinary people who have loved Andouille, Beignet, Etouffee Rae, and Boudin so well, not to mention countless other pets, friends, and family members.