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Emotional obituary for golden retriever touches over 100,000 on Twitter

1:11
Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
National headlines from ABC News
Sallie Hammett
ByNicole Pelletiere
September 30, 2020, 2:56 PM

A South Carolina woman who wrote her own dog's obituary is receiving love from animal lovers on social media.

Sallie Hammett shared touching words about her golden retriever, Charlie, on Twitter where thousands commented. Charlie did Sept. 13 at the age of 7 from incurable lymphoma.

"He just had so much personality," Hammett, who lives in Greenville, told "Good Morning America." "I needed to do something to memorialize him because he was so special to me."

Hammett became Charlie's owner in 2013 and was excited to have a buddy to go on adventures with, she said.

PHOTO: Sallie Hammett of Greenville, South Carolina, shared touching words about her Golden Retriever, Charlie, on Twitter where thousands liked and commented. Charlie did Sept. 13, 2020 at the age of 7 from incurable lymphoma.
Sallie Hammett of Greenville, South Carolina, shared touching words about her Golden Retriever, Charlie, on Twitter where thousands liked and commented. Charlie did Sept. 13, 2020 at the age of 7 from incurable lymphoma. Hammett became Charlie's owner in 2013, and was excited to have a buddy to go on adventures with, she said.
Sallie Hammett

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The pair grew close, though in April Charlie was diagnosed with cancer and veterinarians said he didn't have long to live.

After Charlie died, Hammett and her husband David looked into publishing his notice of death in the local paper. When they realized it was costly, Hammett instead used her graphic design background to create a mock obit and posted it on Twitter.

"Charlie loved everything life had to offer (except stairs. he hated stairs)," Hammett wrote in the obit. "Charlie loved the beach, car rides, bananas and socks."

Hammett also described how Charlie was there for her through heartache, grief and joy. "He was good at a lot of things, but he was best at unconditional love," she wrote.

Sallie Hammett of Greenville, South Carolina, shared touching words about her Golden Retriever, Charlie, on Twitter where thousands liked and commented. Charlie did Sept. 13, 2020 at the age of 7 from incurable lymphoma.
Sallie Hammett

Over 2,000 Twitter users commented on the post, many of them sharing photos of their own dogs.

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PHOTO: Sallie Hammett of South Carolina, shared touching words about her Golden Retriever, Charlie, on Twitter where thousands liked and commented. Charlie did Sept. 13, 2020 at the age of 7 from incurable lymphoma.
Sallie Hammett of Greenville, South Carolina, shared touching words about her Golden Retriever, Charlie, on Twitter where thousands liked and commented. Charlie did Sept. 13, 2020 at the age of 7 from incurable lymphoma. Over 2,000 Twitter users commented on the post--many of them sharing photos of their own dogs.
Sallie Hammett

"I'll get people who have lost their pets and say they'll greet Charlie on the rainbow bridge," Hammett said. "It's also nice to see people who are still appreciating their pets."

Hammett said she's framed Charlie's obituary and displayed it next to his clay paw impression.

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  • Jan 18, 2023

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