Tucker Budzyn, the golden retriever who won over millions of followers with his playful videos and expressive reactions, has died at the age of eight.
His owner, content creator Courtney Budzyn, announced the news in an emotional video shared on social media on September 5. She said Tucker died unexpectedly on September 2, shortly after being diagnosed with lymphoma.
“I thought that was the last sad video I was going to make, but it’s not. Tucker passed away Wednesday unexpectedly,” she said.
According to Budzyn, Tucker had initially responded well to chemotherapy and appeared to be entering partial remission. However, the family later discovered that he had lymphoma in his intestine.
She explained that as the treatment destroyed the cancer, it left a hole in his intestine, leading to an infection that appeared suddenly. Tucker was rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital, but his condition continued to deteriorate.
“We thought we were going to beat the infection, but he just kept getting worse,” she said, adding that the family ultimately had to let him go.
Budzyn had revealed Tucker’s cancer diagnosis on August 30, telling followers that he had begun treatment two weeks earlier. At the time, she said he was continuing to enjoy walks, swimming and his favourite foods.
Tucker was adopted by Budzyn in 2018 and went on to become one of the internet’s best-known pets. His humorous videos, often featuring imagined conversations with his owner, attracted millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook.
In her tribute, Budzyn thanked Tucker’s online community for loving him throughout his life.
“Tucker, I love you so much. You saved my life,” she said. “He was a part of my soul.”
Tucker’s story will also feature in the upcoming children’s picture book Of All the Sniffs I Love the Most, which is scheduled for release in November.
Fans have since filled Tucker’s social media pages with tributes, sharing memories of the videos that made them laugh and offering condolences to his family.
Source: Khaleej Times