It’s been two years since we lost Toby, but not a day goes by without him coming up in conversation.
My mum had always said, “He’s not just a pet — he’s your dad’s best mate, my morning shadow, and your childhood wrapped in fur.”
Toby passed quietly one autumn morning. No drama. No noise. Just peace. But the silence he left behind was deafening.
After that, Mum stopped leaving the radio on. She didn’t sit in the garden like before. The cushion Toby used to sleep on just… stayed there. Untouched.
She’s never been one to show grief in big ways — no tears, no breakdowns. But I could see the emptiness behind her smile.
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🐶 View Portrait Styles →I wanted to give her something, not to replace Toby, but to remind her he was real, and still part of us.
That’s when I found Pawstralian.
I chose the Memorial Pencil Sketch style — simple, quiet, and full of depth, just like Mum.
I sent in an old photo of Toby sitting in his usual spot, tongue out, eyes bright. They returned a digital portrait that didn’t just look like Toby — it felt like him. The way they captured his eyes… it stopped me cold.
I printed it. Framed it. Gifted it to Mum on a quiet Sunday afternoon.
She didn’t say a word. She just placed her hand over the frame, closed her eyes, and said:
“He came home.”
Now, the portrait hangs right above the garden chair where Toby used to nap in the sun. And when people come over, Mum tells the whole story — every time, every detail. With pride, not pain.
That’s what this portrait gave us.
It wasn’t just art. It was closure. A tribute. A bridge back to a love that never really left.
Thank you, Pawstralian. For helping me give my mum Toby again — in the most beautiful way possible.