Loyal Dogs Stay at Owner's Side, Even After His Death
Lorenz's daughter says the dogs are now helping the family deal with the loss.
The dogs are part of the family and went missing along with their owner on September 24. All three were missing for three weeks before a hunter came across them just miles from the Lorenz home.
The two dogs, Mary and Pippen, stayed with Gary's body until he was found.
"Mary and Pippen stayed by his side for three weeks," says Gary Lorenz's daughter Deanna Lorenz, "protecting him from wildlife and birds and anything that was to come along."
The dogs protected Lorenz, even when help finally arrived.
"They're [usually] very friendly and loving to just about anybody," Deanna says, "whereas up on the hill, they were very aggressive, they wouldn't let anybody near Dad."
A sheriff's deputy lured the dogs away with food and once on a leash, they were more cooperative.
Tragically Gary Lorenz, an Alzheimer‘s patient, didn't make it out of the woods. He died of dehydration and hypothermia; the dogs survived.
"They were very tired, exhausted, they were very hungry and thirsty," Deanna says of the dogs, "they came home to take care of my mom so that she would have some company in her grief in letting go of my dad."
The Lorenz family continues to fly three flags, in Gary's honor.
"To represent everything he loves, his service to the country, those lost and the beautiful state of Colorado where he lives," Deanna says.
The flags that Gary took pride in flying help everyone cope with the loss.
"The dogs have been up there many times with Dad," says Deanna of the hill where the flagpole stands.
Deanna says the hunter that found Gary and the two dogs actually got cell phone service at the spot where he found them, something unusual for that area. He immediately called police and then the Lorenz family.
Lorenz was laid to rest Monday, October 29.
http://www.krdotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7310121&nav=menu552_1