Kenneth, Angel, Russell and Marty

Angel Divine was the dog who started Reunion Rescue. She was the first pit bull I ever had dealings with and the first one I liked. I didn't like pit bulls when I met Angel.

She came limping up to my house, had been hit by a car. Nobody took pit bulls but SFACC, so off she went.

Angel and Marty

She was there 6 weeks and amazingly adopted by Marty. Marty had never had a pit bull, but fell in love with her. He'd go by the shelter and pet her every day.

Marty passed away and his partner, Russell took Angel and moved to Phoenix, AZ. We kept in touch over the years. Russ would send me photos and updates.

He began to feed Angel a raw diet and things were good. He fell in love with a wonderful man, Kenneth and Angel had yet another convert. Kenneth said when he first saw Angel, he went, "that's a pit bull!" Little did he know that Angel was truly an angel and was there to help him as well as Russell.

I finished Pit Bull Nation and wanted to let Russ know Marty and Angel were in the book. In fact, Angel Divine has her own chapter.

I wrote and called several times and never received a reply. I was afraid that Angel had passed away. The last time I spoke to Russ, he'd mentioned that Angel was getting older and that she had white around her muzzle.

Last night I got a strange email from Ken. He'd found my website and sent an email which came through the Petfinder site for Pearlie Girl, one of our longtimers. He let me know that Russ had passed away and he wanted to speak with me.

I called back immediately, but was almost unable to leave the message. I just started crying. My friend and longtime soulmate, Toby, had recently passed away and everything just came up at once.

Ken called me back and we spoke for a long while. He talked to me about how alone he felt when Russ passed away.  Angel has been there to comfort him.

He told me about an experience he had before Russ died. He knelt down one night on his knees and made her a promise he would care for her and love her. While he was on his knees, a white light was in the corner. He turned to look and the light disintegrated.

We talked for a minute about spirits and animals. I told him about these blogs and Benny. He told me about a good friend whose mother had passed away from cancer. When she was dying, she began to say the names of all the pets she had when growing up and as an adult. Her daughter and Ken's friend were in the room and said to her mother, 'the animals are not here, Mother.' Her mother replied, 'yes, they are. They are all in this room.'

Angel Divine

I believe that animals are here to help us. In my own case, they are here to help me be a better human being. I never knew that until Benny came. I always thought I was just here to help them. It was my calling. Now I know I am here for that purpose, but also to be useful to all who cross my path. It takes a great deal of faith to live this way. One's always apprehensive of being called upon for a little too much.

That's where the animals come to help me. I'll be overwhelmed at the computer trying to save this one and that one. Tex will come over and whine to go outside or Del will screech. I know to get up and see to their needs. I will go to the cat room and pick up Spook or Freddy Mercury and I will feel very blessed. I can stop just about any time during the day or evening and be very thankful the animals here are all safe and warm with full bellies. That's about as good as it gets.

It's no accident that Marty named her Angel.

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