Travis Longs for His Father
Travis struggled to comprehend Jerry’s absence, leaving him confused and disoriented. Whenever Sandy returned from the hospital, he frantically smelled her clothes, desperately seeking Jerry’s familiar scent. Overwhelmed with sadness, Travis would rock back and forth for hours, clinging to Jerry’s pictures on the walls, kissing and hugging them until Sandy had to hide them in a box. Tragically, Jerry passed away on April 12th, leaving a void in their lives.
Consumed by grief, Sandy isolated herself from the condolences offered by friends. Despite her sorrow, Travis remained by her side, offering comfort in his unique way. He would brush Sandy’s hair as she cried, providing solace. With gentle precision, he would carefully bite her nails and then file them for her. As time passed and about a year had passed since Jerry’s passing, Sandy took a pivotal step in writing a letter to a chimpanzee sanctuary in Florida. The final two paragraphs of her heartfelt letter read as follows:
