Onyx · June 21, 1991 – September 1, 2004

About Onyx

Onyx was our very first addition to the family. We got her at 10 weeks old and from the moment she came into our lives we learned of a new happiness and love that we never knew before.

Onyx loved to play, run, and give plenty of love but even though she was a Labrador, the water was no place for her. When we went swimming in the pool, she would run around the pool and hit the ball back to us in the water with her nose. She made everyone laugh.

Onyx was happy just being with us and in exchange gave lots of licks, warmth and unconditional love. She was always considerate and extremely smart. When Mark had knee surgery she knew enough, without us telling her, to sleep on the side of the bed away from his knee.

Onyx was always a constant friend who you knew would always be waiting for you and loving you, no matter what you looked like or how you felt. She was content lying next to us, sleeping on the bed with us, working out with us and just being wherever we were.

Words cannot describe the loss and void we still feel to this day, when we lost our baby Onyx at the age of thirteen. She is in our hearts forever and through this foundation she will live on "FOREVER".

Wanda Shefts

Breezy · February 2, 1997 – October 20, 2004

About Breezy

Our Breezy was welcomed into our lives six years after Onyx. She was eight weeks old and won our hearts immediately with those big sad brown eyes and big floppy ears. Her nickname became "Sugar" as she was just so sweet. Where Onyx liked to run and play, Breezy would let Onyx run for the toy then take it and lay down. She was the most beautiful couch potato with the biggest heart and sweetest nature. If Breezy had a bone, she was so content and happy and it just made us relax as well. She never growled, but loved to sing. If you started her off she would continue howling (her form of singing) which would make everyone smile and laugh.

Unfortunately at the age of five we found a lump on her mouth. It became a nightmare for us but she just stayed as sweet and loving as always. She was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor and given a very grim diagnosis of approximately six weeks. Our third opinion at the University of Pennsylvania gave us some hope. With treatments of chemo and radiation three times a week, for months, our sweet baby was given 2 1/2 extra years. We took them as the best "gift". Through everything she went through, she always had the best attitude. She engraved a special place in our hearts with her courage and will to live. She was an inspiration to everyone that was lucky enough to know her.

Our baby finally gave in and died in Wanda's arms at the age of seven. Even at her death she was with the people that loved her and she left us content. There is not a day that goes by that we don't think and reminisce of both our beautiful babies who will forever live on in our hearts and through The Onyx & Breezy Foundation.

Mark Shefts