Every Pawprint! Every Story!
A weekly conversation space where people honor pets they’ve lost, celebrate the joy pets bring, and support one another through pet grief. Each episode centers on a guest’s memories, the rituals that keep those pets present in daily life, and the lessons of love and loss that pets teach us!
Every Pawprint! Every Story!
“Fifteen Years to the Finish Line: Piper’s Last Run With Derek”
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode, I sit down with Derek from Southern California as he opens his heart about Piper — his running partner, his first “child,” and the soul who shaped his family long before his two kids arrived. Piper passed away on Christmas Eve 2025, leaving behind a depth of grief Derek never expected.
He shares stories of their long runs together, the joyful sprint to the finish they always raced, and the beach days where Piper would tease him with her favorite game: catch me if you can. And in one of the most moving moments, Derek describes Piper’s final breath — resting on his chest, exactly the way he had imagined their goodbye after fifteen years of love, loyalty, and life lived side by side.
This conversation is a reminder that when a pet becomes family, their absence echoes in every corner of our lives — and their memory becomes a compass for how we keep moving forward.
To order a copy of the book -> https://pawpads.pet/pawprints
And if you'd like to share your story send me an email: popovic@mindspring.com
- Purchase the Book that inspired the Podcast
- Want to share your pets story on a future podcast?
- Send us a message: SUBSCRIBE
- All new, the first ever Pet Journal - start logging your memories with your Pet
- Click -> Pet Journal