The Oregon Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel and his girlfriend Zo Caswell had to make a difficult decision. The couple shared on social media that they had to put down their six-month-old puppy, Winston, on Sunday.
Zo took to Instagram to share a special gift she and her boyfriend received from their friends. The gift was a locket with the image of the puppy lasered.
“The sweetest gift @dillongabriel & I have ever received,” Zo Caswell captioned her Instagram story.
Gabriel and Zo took their miniature schnauzer to the vet for a routine checkup but they found that the puppy was experiencing stomach issues, which led to a “simple surgery.” However, due to some complications, Dillon Gabriel and Zo ended up euthanizing the dog.
The couple have been finding ways to distract each other while mourning the death of their puppy.
Dillon Gabriels enters the 2024 college football season with a new perspective after losing his puppy
The Oregon Ducks QB attended the team’s press conference and was asked about the death of his puppy and how he was handling the situation. While he appeared sad because of the incident, the QB answered the questions with newfound hope. Dillon Gabriel said (per Sports Illustrated):
“I think when you have friends in your life. Even if it’s a furry friend. You know, they make you smile a bunch and in a hectic world I guess it slows it down for you.”
“I think it can shed light on being vulnerable,” he continued. “You know, showcasing that we all go through things. I think it’s changed my perspective too. You know that just people who go through loss and grieve. I think that they are shy and scared to love so it makes me more on edge of spreading my arms and trying to bring people in and love them up as much as you can.”
Gabriel had a lot of profound words and said that football helps him navigate difficult situations.
