Despite her distress and grief over the loss of her beloved Golden Retriever Gracie, Oprah Winfrey, award-winning host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, learned a valuable lesson.  In the August issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, which hit newsstands Tuesday, she recounted the painful tragedy that remains etched in her heart until today.

"I don't believe in accidents," Oprah Winfrey wrote.  "I know for sure that everything in life happens to help us live."

Winfrey adopted three Golden Retrievers back in 2005, Luke, Layla and Gracie, besides her two Cocker Spaniels, Sophie and Soloman.  She introduced them to the world as “her new family” on The Oprah Winfrey Show and even featured them on the cover of her magazine on a few occasions.
On May 26, Gracie choked to death on a plastic ball she found on the grass, which belonged to Sophie.

“I ran barefoot out of the house and found the dog walker and one of my security guys pumping her chest,” Winfrey recounted.  “Just as I reached them, the security guy looked up and said, ‘I'm sorry, ma'am.  We tried everything.  I'm sorry.  She's gone.’"


Although Gracie’s death was a freak accident, Winfrey believed otherwise.  She considered Gracie’s death to have a purpose, reminding her to take it slow and to take care of her health.

Several days before Gracie died, Winfrey was reminded by the head of her company to slow down and take some things off her schedule.  The 53-year-old TV personality, who has other endeavors aside from The Oprah Winfrey Show, including a magazine, a radio station, an academy, a website, and other charitable causes, disregarded the caution and dashed from one event to the next for the whole month of May.

Shortly, Gracie died.

“Thank you for being my saving Gracie.  I now know for sure angels come in all forms,” Winfrey added.  “Her life was a gift to me.  Her death, a greater one.”


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Oprah.com
(Image courtesy of Oprah.com)