Photo: Kelly Stafford/Instagram
Kelly Staffordis mourning the death of her family’s loving dog Marley, who “filled Matthew’s side of the bed” when Kelly’s husband, Matthew Stafford, first “left for the NFL.”
TheLos Angeles Rams quarterback and his wifelost their 13-year-old pet over the weekend, Kelly announced on Instagram Monday alongside anemotional tribute to the canine.
“Why is it such a surprise and so hard? Dogs aren’t supposed to outlive us, we know it when we make them part of our family. So why does it feel like it’s never coming?” Kelly wrote in her post, which included photos of her and Matthew cuddling with Marley in the dog’s final moments.
“I woke up this morning without a face in front of me that I’ve been used to waking up to for the past 13 years,” she continued. “The room didn’t feel as warm or cozy. I sat up and saw the empty dog bed at my side and the tears started rolling again.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
PHOTO: Kelly Stafford/InstagramPHOTO: Kelly Stafford/InstagramPHOTO: Kelly Stafford/Instagram
“I’m devastated and this house just doesn’t feel as full as it once did,” Kelly concluded the post. “Thank you, Marley, for loving me unconditionally no matter how many mistakes I made. Thank you for filling my life with love and joy for the past 13 years. I love you so much and miss you more than you could ever understand.”
Kelly Stafford/Instagram
The Morning After with Kelly Staffordpodcast host shared more photos of Marley on Instagram, including snaps of the pet as a puppy and shots of the dog with Kelly and Matthew’s four daughters: twins Sawyer and Chandler, 5, Hunter, 3, and Tyler, 21 months.
Want to get the biggest stories from PEOPLE every weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.
Additionally, Kelly posted a video montage of her family’s time with Marley over the years, paired with Britt Nicole’s “The Sun Is Rising.”
“💔 I can’t stop crying. This song is what I feel like what Marley has said every time I was hurting and crying on her… I feel like she’s looking over me saying the same,” Kelly captioned the clip. “Miss you sweet girl.”
“I just can’t believe I’ll never look into her eyes again. I feel so broken right now,” she added on her Instagram Story. “I know all I need is time, but as I lay in her dog bed, time feels like it’s standing still. When does it start to continue?”
source: people.com
