Being a Cycle Breaker can be a very lonely process. At 18 years old I got my first apartment months after my mother decided to leave the state without telling anyone. My first apartment was like a breath of fresh air, although, I was terrified of bills and felt overwhelmed at the idea of me now needing to figure out my own survival financially. Anything was better than where my mother left me to live…

ANYWAYS! With my first apartment came my first dog. This dog was a surprise for me because I was losing access to my childhood dogs and the friends around me knew it was very hard on me. One day someone shows up to my apartment with a puppy for me. He asked, “do you like Goldendoodles?”. I asked, “What’s a Goldendoodle?”.

Little did I know, this Goldendoodle, Franki, would save my life.

Day 1 of being a dog mom at the ripe age of 18 was a lot of fun. Bouncing name ideas with my friends, taking him to the pet store to get puppy products, etc. The love a puppy shows you is an unmatched feeling. It’s like life can’t be sad when you have a puppy kissing you to death!

Day 2 of being a dog mom was like “oh sh!t… I have to financially take care of this dog!”. The financial overwhelm kicked into overdrive at this point. I was already working long hours as a server to make fast cash but this meant I needed to make even more money. Eventually, I started working 3 jobs a day to ensure things were paid on time and the hustle was consuming my life.

As much as I loved this puppy, it was A LOT! He would cry when I went to work and destroy my apartment. Temporary frustration would take over and I’d tell myself that I cannot have a dog. That quickly faded after taking one look at his precious face.

With time, things got better and more manageable. Within a year of living in my first apartment, I decided it was time to move to Florida. That’s where my mom went and where a handful of my family lived. I was supposed to move with my mother but she chose to leave without me. I really just wanted to escape winter and live in sunshine.

Long story short- Me, Franki, & some friends move to Florida. Within 1 month, Franki got sick from the backyard at our rental house and my world came crashing down. I was alone and he was all I had. With some expensive help from the vet, I treated him at home and nursed him back to health. We shortly after moved back to MI.

It’s 2019, Franki and I move home from FL and have to stay with a family friend. Unfortunately, this separated us. Franki had to live with my grandpa until I could find my own place again. This broke me. I felt like I was all alone again and went into a deep depression. It was the worst feeling being away from him and I realized how much emotional support he truly provided me. Anytime I felt like giving up on life, he was a reminder on why I can’t. He needed me and as long as he needed me, I had to stay.

Fast forward to 2026 and he is still my soulmate. When you grow up with drug addict/alcoholic parents, you don’t ever feel loved. But Franki… not a day went by that I didn’t/don’t feel loved by him.