Couple took their 15-year-old dog with dementia and a placard request to the park for his ‘last day’
Even in his final moments, Manolo reminded everyone that love still brings people together.
A couple’s heartbreaking goodbye to their 15-year-old shih tzu, Manolo, turned into something unexpectedly beautiful. In a video shared by Coeli Fortun on her TikTok @chellyshoots, which got four million views and over 819k likes, she shared Manolo's "last day" at the park, showing the best of humanity. Fortun and her partner, Sean, had spent nearly half their lives with Manolo. She first met him at 14, when he wasn’t even supposed to be up for adoption because of partial blindness. "To this day, I swear I heard 'Happy Together' by The Turtles playing in my head when we locked eyes," she told PEOPLE on November 2, 2025.
@chellyshoots Didn’t know what to expect from putting up a sign about my dog’s last day on a park bench but I’m so grateful we did it. I have never planned how I would spend the last day I had with my childhood dog but when he got really sick, I always knew that the one thing I’d miss is: sharing the joy he gave me, with others. This was such a perfect way to celebrate the life of a dog who truly loved spending time with people & their dogs. Run free & fast forever, Manolo. I will never stop missing you🤎 Thank you @healthybud @Crumps Naturals @TheTiltedBarnPetCompany ♬ original sound - chellyshoots
Manolo had been part of every stage of their lives, from school and moving across countries to building a home together with their cat, Snuffles. But earlier this year, things began to change. He started crying out in the middle of the night and later during the day. Tests revealed that he was developing canine dementia. The couple tried everything they could, including medication, therapy, supplements, and even custom wheelchairs so he could still go outside.
@chellyshoots Replying to @goodixtyzhk thank you for wanting to learn more about our Manolo🤎 he was my 15 year old Shih Tzu that my family and I adopted (already partially blind in one eye) in Manila, and flew with us to Canada in 2022. He was a resilient pup who had arthritis, canine dementia, degenerative myelopathy, he has started to go deaf & blind, and his heart murmur worsened to grade 5 level due to the anxiety he felt everyday. For 4 months, right after our 20y.o. cat Snuffles died of cancer, Manolo’s dementia & degenerative myelopathy started to progress much quicker than his body was regaining strength from weekly physiotherapy & chiropractic sessions. He started out with nightly sundowning sessions, screaming & moaning. every single night, Manolo, my partner, and myself would only be able to fall asleep between the hours of 5am-8am, sometimes for an hour to 3 hours. Then it all quickly evolved to louder, more frequent screams, mixed with whining, that happened all throughout the day. This was in no way on overnight decision. We had spoken to our partners in Manolo’s care holistic vet, our vet techs, physiotherapists, our chiropractor, professional pet photographers over months about Manolo’s quality of life. Ultimately, we did a quality of life assessment which revealed that Manolo had a very poor quality of life, the only thing that made it go up in points was his appetite. Meal and snack time only made up how many hours in a day, in a week. The only time he felt happiest. This is all just tip of the iceberg but we hope this helps you understand our story. Please know we love(d) & care(d) for Manolo with everything (mental, emotional, physical, financial) that we had and are. @Toronto Dog Moms 💕 ♬ original sound - chellyshoots
"His spirit remained so strong, but his body was failing him," Fortun said. As his health declined, they realized that he was "living for us, not for himself." That’s when they made the difficult decision to give him a week filled with love. They took him painting, fed him his favorite treats, and visited friends who had cared for him. On his final day, October 2, they took him to his favorite park with a handwritten sign that read: "It’s our dog’s last day. Give us some advice and him a treat (we brought lots)." Some people walked by, but others stopped to offer comfort.
"They hugged us, shared stories about their own dogs, and reassured us that Manolo would be welcomed in heaven," Fortun said. "Losing Manolo felt like losing the last piece of home," Fortun shared. Their cat, Snuffles, had passed away just a few months earlier from cancer. They made paw prints, kept locks of fur, and created small tributes to both pets — a way to hold on to the memories that filled their home.
@chellyshoots “You look so happy for someone that just lost a loved one.” Grief is not linear, and if you are dealing with the loss of a loved one & survivor’s guilt… take this as a reminder that you are entitled to your pockets of joy, and you are allowed to move forward.
♬ Wanderlust - Degraus
Research shows that grief after a pet’s death can be as profound as losing a human loved one. A 2022 study found that up to 20% of pet owners still report grief symptoms a year after their pet’s passing. The study described this as "disenfranchised grief" — mourning that is often unacknowledged because society tends to undervalue the loss of an animal companion. The authors also noted that maintaining “continuing bonds,” like creating memorials or keeping small mementos, can help owners process their grief and feel a sense of connection.
Today, Fortun uses her social media to talk about canine dementia, senior pet care, and coping with loss. "Community is everything in a time that can feel so isolating. Talk about it. Hold your pets. Listen to them. Keep your hearts open," she said. Viewers were equally touched and heartbroken seeing the moment unfold. @rach wrote, "His last day was filled with nothing but endless love. I’m bawling my eyes out." @monsmicbungee added, "This has got to be how he was welcomed at the rainbow bridge." @mothicas said, "All that baby knows on his last day is that so many people loved him — and that’s how it should be." @monkeyman.maymay shared, "I simply wouldn’t be able to handle that if I saw y’all. I’d cry from across the park."
You can follow Coeli Fortun (@chellyshoots) on TikTok for more content on Manolo.
More on Scoop Upworthy
Woman reunites with her missing cat after 13 years, only to realize she'd come to say goodbye
Man took home a 16-year-old dog so that he wouldn't die alone and it changed his life
Share on Facebook
