ABR Loss **UPDATE**

[janet909]

Good Evening ABR Friends. I know I am not posting this in the correct category but I know that this is the most followed category. Many of you have been reading these posts for years and have become friends with Kat, Copper's mom ("How cool is that"). Kat Dechant has fostered countless dogs and volunteered for ABR for many, many years. She was very active on this discussion board, with over 2000 posts, until her health turned last July and she suddenly spent much less time on the Internet. I am going to quote her son, Bobby, from her Facebook Page:
"As many of you know, my mother has been battling a form of brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme. On Monday, she made the choice to break free from the chains of cancer. For the past 12 months, she fought with grace and fervor, at times having to endure multiple forms of treatment."

Our beloved ABR friend, Kat, passed away this Monday, surrounded by her family. It pains me to write this but some of you aren't on Facebook and have probably missed her presence on this discussion board. There will be a celebration of her life this Monday which would have been her 59th birthday. Because this is a public forum, I am not posting her family's contact information. I do know that her family has asked for donations to ABR in lieu of flowers.
Many of us are heartbroken. I met Kat through ABR and have made many lifelong friends through that connection. Our group has been in constant contact this week as we try to support each other and find meaning in this loss. She was an amazing, special person and loved our Brittanys with a passion. Her family is heartbroken as are her friends. She will be greatly missed.

[AuntieMom]

Kat was a dear friend. I met her on the ABR boards when both of us had senior boys dying with heart failure. She was a huge support and many of you may know her next Brittany -- Copper -- was my foster dog. That cemented our friendship in real life.

My husband and I attended the ABR Rocky Mountain Picnic for several years. Here is a picture Shelli took in 2009, the first year we all got together.
There are days that you wish would last forever. And the days spent with Kat, Janet, Lisa, Shelli, Tiffany and our Brittany friends (and their humans) are on the top of my list. I loved Kat for the peace and love she brought to us all. And I will miss her sense of humor. Despite crying until I had a head ache when learning about her death, I smiled through tears remembering my favorite Kat quote: "Has anyone ever seen a Brittany throw up in the daytime?"

[Cindy]

I am so so sorry to hear about Kat. Although I never met her, I sure felt like she was a friend from all of her postings on this discussion board. I know she loved her Brittanys and will be greatly missed by so many. RIP Kat.

[MaggieRocks]

What a terrible loss to her friends and family and everyone at ABR. I also never met Kat but always enjoyed her posts. Makes you really think about things-enjoy your life to the fullest and do what you really love because life is, indeed, too short.

[gagesbarb]

Thank you for letting the board know...I also did not know Kat personally, but followed her posts on the board, so her devotion to dogs was obvious...
Our prayers and sympathy to her family and friends; I'm sure she is getting lots and lots of kisses from the dogs greeting her at the Rainbow Bridge!

[Barb Wright]

Oh, such bitter news.....and such a huge loss for both her family and ABR. I knew Kat from the Colorado ABR picnic, and she was one of those people that even though your contact with them in person is brief, well, they just stay in your mind from then on. We had many discussions both on and off the message board, and she was just one jewel of a lady. Very sad day.......

[janet909]

Here's another of my favorites. Auntie Mom pulled my Sheppy Shu from a kill shelter in Nebraska and Kat met her 1/2 way between Omaha and Denver. Kat then kept him for me while I visited family in Seattle for the holidays. They did the transport the Saturday before Christmas when I'm sure they both had about 1000 other things to do. Hearts of gold.

[janet909]

In July, I posted that we lost a dear friend and a major force of ABR. Kat Dechant, who rescued and fostered countless dogs, passed away just before her 59th birthday from brain cancer. Her dog, Copper, was her dearest friend. She absolutely loved that dog. He was actually diagnosed with cancer long before she was and she was terrified of the thought of losing him. He was expected to cross the bridge but miraculously held on throughout Kat's entire illness, providing her with much strength and comfort. Last week, Copper crossed the bridge, 7 months after his mama, to join her. She adopted Copper from Auntie Mom which solidified their special friendship (after meeting on this board). Since many of you on the discussion board have read about Copper for years, I thought I would pass on the news. They were quite the pair and are greatly missed. They were lucky to have each other. I always loved Kat's signature on this message board: "My mom is Kat. How cool is that? " RIP Kat and Copper. Reunited.

[Cindy]

That's a super special picture and it sure brought a smile to my face despite the passing of both of them. Looks like they BOTH had hearts of gold and I can only imagine their reunion.

[Barb Wright]

Janet, it evokes such a beautiful image, Kat and Copper together again Thank you so much for sharing both the sad but also bitter/sweet news.

[AuntieMom]

Kat was a dear friend and Copper a special foster dog. I loved those two dearly and as the song goes "I can't cry hard enough."

I will forever be grateful to ABR for bringing these two special souls into my life.

[gagesbarb]

Although I have not met any of you personally, following you and your dogs through this board makes it clear what special beings you all are...
and that picture captures it all...
thank you for sharing, Janet

[PCTech01]

I am so sorry to find this post and the sad news it contains about such a wonderful Brittany lover. May she Rest In Peace. My mother in law also died of glioblastoma in 2006 and to this day we fondly remember how she made her husband drive her over to our house while we were away at work so that she could bring biscuits to our first Brit, Freckles. That bad boy loved her and even jumped up on her bed while in hospice.. I still see that sight in my mind.