Christmas Tales of Alabama by Kelly Kazek Page A

often a pair of plush reindeer antlers. A few years before he died, Fred was struck by a car while crossing the street. No one thought he would survive. But Fred, who had taken a bullet and lived by his wits all his life, wasn’t ready to go. Dr. John Christianson at Birmingham’s Montclair Animal Hospital was able to set his broken leg, and his internal injuries miraculously healed.
    Then, on Halloween 2002, Fred was the victim of a cruel twist of fate. He was bitten by what doctors believe was a spider or snake. For weeks, his valiant veterinarians fought to remove the poisons from his aging body to no avail. A few weeks before Christmas, Ken mailed three hundred Christmas cards featuring a photo of Fred to people across the country who had visited or written about the dog.
    A column by Fred published on December 20 gave a brave report and thanked people for their concern: “For those of y’all who don’t know I have decided to take a two-week hiatus up at Doc Christiansen’s place in Birmingham for a little R&R while I get pampered with lots of attention, lots of biscuits and gravy, and lots of Christmas and New Year Get Well cards.”
    Before Ken had to agonize over whether to euthanize the beloved dog, Fred died peacefully in his sleep. While that was a blessing, his death created a mournful Christmas for his Rockford family. Those who had known him wept.
    Fred would be buried in a specially made casket. Local schoolchildren wrote notes of farewell in colorful crayon.
    Fred’s body was taken to a spot behind the historic Old Rock Jail near downtown and laid to rest with Ken Shaw, Judge Robert Teel Jr., Police Officer Jimmy Hale, local artist Charlie Simpson and another caregiver, Katurah Stewart, in attendance. A father and his children who had seen Fred on Animal Planet made a rest stop in town, heard about the service and decided to pay their respects.
    The Reverend Cruse read from Psalms and then the eulogy he’d written himself. With proceeds from the sale of “Fred” souvenirs, the dog’s human friends erected a monument featuring a photo of Fred wearing his familiar red bandana. “FRED” is etched in large letters and beneath them, “The Town Dog, Rockford, AL, Dec. 23, 2002, Rockford’s Beloved Companion.”
    In 2004, Fred was inducted into the Alabama Animal Hall of Fame. He was nominated by Dr. Christian. The site at alvma.com states, “Fred was voted into the Hall of Fame because of his unusual dedication to this town and the respect citizens of the town had for him.”
    As the Reverend Cruse said at Fred’s funeral,
    To those who have never had a pet this prayer will sound strange, but to You, Lord of All Life and Creator of all Creatures, it will be understandable. Our heart is heavy as we face the loss in death of our beloved Fred the Town Dog…He wandered up and into the lives of Rockford and all those who came through and stopped to pet him and be a part of his world…May Fred sleep in an eternal slumber in Godly care .
    Today, the signs naming Rockford “Home of Fred the Town Dog” have been removed, but people haven’t forgotten the lovable mutt that stole their hearts. They may pass his grave site, the elementary school or the courthouse steps and smile at the thought of Fred, the dog that, with a wag of his tail and tongue, reminded them of the immeasurable gift of unconditional love.
    T HE G IRL W HO S AW A NOTHER S UNRISE
    The scene at Piedmont Hospital was like a wake. Friends and family of little Donna McDowell came and went from her hospital room, saying their goodbyes. It was December 21, 1959, and eleven-year-old Donna was not expected to celebrate another Christmas or even see another sunrise. She was not in pain—not yet. The explosion and fire earlier in the day that had burned 87 percent of her body had damaged her nerve endings. Doctors cut the clothing from her body and made her comfortable,