Our Hero truly was a German Shorthaired Pointer who, as one friend and fellow breeder put it, "left an indelible pawprint on both the breed history and on many hearts". In sharing my memories of him, I know, as many of you also have known, the feeling of unbearable sorrow and loss. He lives on not only in memory, but in his get and grand-get.

He was my "first born son", a statement that always made my own daughter cringe. I remember the day Hero was born…so bright, bright white, and so hard to get going. I had to give him puppy CPR.

Then, there were Hero's (and my own) first attempts at field trials and hunt tests. My club tried to give me a "Tippy-Toe Award" because I couldn't "get around clean". He had no problem. To say that dogs have no sense of humor would never have applied to Hero. I know he smiled when I didn't fall down.

And, how we all hollered and jumped up and down that day in May when we got the call, "Our little Hero went Best In Show today". Then, there was that incredible moment on November 11, 2000, when it was announced that Hero had won the Open Limited stake to finish his Dual Championship. Dan and Doris Schoenfelder all smiles, as I laughed and cried with joy while trying to call Margaret and Benny. He had become the first Male Best In Show Dual Champion since 1968. With Benny, Margaret and Terry's help, he so deserved the honor.

Benny and Margaret deciding that they loved Hero enough to send him back to me for his retirement years… ah, he came out of the crate at the airport and immediately jumped up on me, licking my face and barking. If ever a dog knew he was home… And, I remember Hero's waking me in the mornings by "smooshing" his head against my back, even though he never liked sleeping "too warm".

Hero had so much love and devotion for "his people". There were very few things he didn't like or accept-thunderstorms, fireworks and cats were the exception. I watched over the years as he grew old gracefully and with great dignity. He always kept his grandpups in line and seeing one of those 65 pound boys roll into a ball at "Granpa Hero's" feet was a real eye opener. Even though I knew that the moment would come eventually when we would say goodbye on Earth, it still was so final and so shattering.

Sleep well my "Bunky". You truly were the "wind beneath my wings".