As I walked in the door this afternoon, Tammy said, “Russ called. Flash died yesterday.” Our pastor shared some time ago that he finds he cries much easier the older he gets. I cried as Tammy said those words. Flash was a dog. He wasn’t our dog, but he was. He was special and part of our family without ever belonging to us. Russ is Russ Clark. We love Russ and his family. He was part of the search team that looked for James on days 16 and 17 of the search. He was a K-9 handler for the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department. Flash was his dog. Flash found James and the pararescue team from Moody Air Force Base recovered James on January 31, 2011. We loved Flash from that moment forward. His name fit, because we only really met him for a few flashes of time, but he was always a part of us.
We caught up with Russ and Flash a few months later as we made our way around the area to say thank you to the various agencies who participated in the search. We had our picture made with Russ and Flash. We spent a week a few years later at Amelia Island and had dinner with Russ and his family, and Flash. Russ and his family moved to Tallahassee a few years later, and had to leave Flash behind. Flash was retired by the Sheriff’s Department a few years later, but Russ always kept us updated on Flash. Russ spoke at our TCT7 BBQ Dinner a few years ago and talked a little about Flash. Tonight, as he shared about Flash he said Flash had been their oldest son’s best friend. It reminded me of the song “Feed Jake,” with the words, “He’s been a good dog, my best friend right through it all.”
I mentioned that crying thing earlier. It happened again tonight on our way home from Thomasville. I turned to Tammy and said, “Flash died on 8/9. If you add the numbers, it’s 17. Flash found our 17 year old on the 17th day of the search.” I thought I would have to pull over as I tried to explain through the tears. I wouldn’t think that a dog we’d only met two or three times would bring about such strong emotions, but he really was family by his forever connection with James. James never met Flash, and yet, somehow I think he knew Flash. I visited Nashville on business in the early 2000’s and Tammy and James came with me. Opry Mills Shopping Center was next door to our hotel, and there was shop there that sold metal signs. James wanted to buy two and we let him. Both were hunting pictures. One of the two included a pair of beige hunting boots, a shotgun, a box of shotgun shells, a duck decoy and two golden Labrador puppies. Flash was a golden lab.
Tammy and I like to think that James was the first person to greet Flash as he crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Richard Biby wrote the poem Just A Dog. One particular line may best describe our relationship with Flash, “Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.” Flash helped us overcome that day almost 10 years ago, and he will always be a part of our lives. Tammy said tonight it was almost like he was our dog. Russ and his family did all of the hard work, but always let us be a part, and for that we’re forever grateful. Thanks Flash.