Jimmy Fallon and his dog, Gary (NBC / Getty Images)

Jimmy Fallon and His Family Grieve a Heartbreaking Death: “Thank You for Everything”

If you have ever had to say a final farewell to a beloved pet, you know the misery that can bring. You can almost hear your heart breaking. That is sadly what Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, 51, and his family are dealing with right now. Their treasured golden retriever, Gary, has passed away at the age of 13 and a half. Fallon wrote an exquisite tribute to the dear pooch on Instagram. I can only guess how may people it has touched deeply - and how many tears it has caused to be shed.

Videos by Wide Open Country

Fallon's Post About Gary Is So Poignant

This is how Fallon said his last goodbye to Gary. "She was the last name we signed on every birthday card.
She was our first baby, a therapist, a pillow, a big sister, a schoolmarm, a comedian, a party girl and a rebel. Definitely not a watchdog—she would have let burglars in and shown them where we kept the bacon and American cheese slices."

He went on, "Always smiling even when she slept. She loved a good scratch and would lean into you if she liked you, though "if" is generous—she did this for basically everyone. She would jump into the pool immediately after being shampooed and dried (noooooo!) then she'd do her laps (backstroke - jk doggie paddle) then lie in the grass on her back doing bunny kicks with her tongue sticking out. That meant summer to me. 13 and a half years we were lucky to have with you."

Fallon ended his sweet message this way. "Franny, Winnie, Mommy and I miss you. The house misses you. The house is so quiet. The quiet is so loud. But that quiet is slowly being filled with stories about you and laughter amongst the sniffles. Thank you for everything. Gosh, we miss you so much. Goodnight, Gary."

Fans Responded With Words of Kindness and Comfort

Many posters sympathized with the sadness of the Fallon family. They reached out to them compassionately.

"Sending you so much love"

"my heart is with you dogs are the best and i wish they could live forever"

"The best kind of love and connection on this planet we are so so lucky"

"The last name signed on every birthday card i'm so sorry for your loss. I know the loss is a huge hole in your hearts, but I hope memories and timeshare together will help ease your pain. With sympathy and love."

"We lost our fur baby last year and it still hurts. But what love!"

There Are Gorgeous Photos of Gary

Fallon added some lovely snaps of the dog. One shows Gary lolling on the beach, a glorious sunset behind her. Another depicts her rolling on the grass on her back. Yet another has her lying on the floor with Fallon as they both enjoy some downtime together.

Hoping that someday there will be more smiles than tears when you think of her. Thank you, Jimmy Fallon, for sharing your precious, eloquently phrased memories of Gary with all of us.