Mike O’Hearn is one of the biggest fitness icons in the World, gracing hundreds of magazine covers and playing a real-life gladiator. But, having a tough exterior doesn’t mean he’s exempt from feeling painful emotions.
In an Instagram post, O’Hearn wrote a heartfelt message explaining his grief from the loss of his dog Teddy who he had the privilege of loving for the past twenty years. He explains that he met the puppy during a photo shoot and rather than letting her go back to the shelter, he took it upon himself to provide her with a home and unconditional love.
Teddy was with him during the loss of his parents and the connection they had cannot be forgotten.
In the video, Mike O’Hearn didn’t get very far telling his story and you can watch it here…
This is the message he wrote to tell his story and express his appreciation for his fans...
“Everyone handles grief at their own pace…I thought I was ready and boy was I wrong…
Let me give you some background... It all started when I was 30 years old.
I was doing a cover shoot for muscle and fitness with two models.
I’ll always remember the shoot because these two models were the best looking models I’ve ever shot with in my 30-year career. They were none other than the amazing Puppies, Teddy and Bunny. (Sorry to all the girl models I’ve shot with over the 30 years)
The crazy thing is, after the 8-hour shoot, they said they were going to take both of the puppies back to the shelter. And I wasn’t going to let that happen… “I said forget about it! I’m taking them home with me.” Alas, the beginning of my longest friendship.
Not only was Teddy my first pup, but she was the last thing that connected me to the ups and downs of the last 20 years of my life. That includes the loss of my mom and dad. For a while now I’ve wanted to take the opportunity to thank my fans for the incredible support and now is the time…
I had over 10,000 messages, dm, and emails from you guys and I read Every Single One. I appreciated it so much, I wanted to make a video thanking you but… I was 20 seconds into it and I had to stop… I thought I was over the passing of my Teddy Girl, It’s been 7 months…
But It’s still hard for me to talk about it without breaking down… I haven’t healed and I don’t know if I ever will completely…
It made me think of something. Weeks, even months after trauma, you see people walking around with a smile on their face…
Their friends and family think they’re fine, but on the inside they’re still battling it out emotionally.
Everyone recovers at their own pace and if you’re going through something painful…
…as I write this with tears in my eyes, here’s my simple advice to you:
Don’t rush the pain.
Keep good people in your life
Get rid of the negativity. Those three things will help you heal more than anything. stay strong and never stop fighting.
Today I’m taking the time to answer, if anyone is hurting and needs a friend”
