Lewis Hamilton is mourning the death of his beloved bulldog, Roscoe.
The seven-time F1 world champion, 40, announced the 12-year-old canine had died in an Instagram post on Monday, Sept. 29. The update came just days after he revealed Roscoe was in a veterinary hospital suffering from pneumonia.
The post included two photos of Hamilton spending time with his pet dog outdoors, as well as a snap of Roscoe sleeping in his arms and a photo of the animal’s paw resting in his hand.
“After four days on life support, fighting with every bit of strength he had, I had to make the hardest decision of my life and say goodbye to Roscoe,” Hamilton captioned the collection of photos. “He never stopped fighting, right until the very end.”
The Ferrari driver said he felt “grateful and honored” to have had Roscoe in his life as a “true friend.” He went on to express no regrets about owning the dog, while adding that he will always “cherish the memories” they made together.
Reflecting on the suspected heart attack his other pet dog had back in 2020, Hamilton said, “Although I lost Coco, I have never been faced with putting a dog to sleep before, though I know my mum and many close friends have.
“It is one of the most painful experiences and I feel a deep connection to everyone who has gone through the loss of a beloved pet,” he continued. “Although it was so hard, having him was one of the most beautiful parts of life, to love so deeply and to be loved in return.”
Hamilton concluded the post by thanking everyone who has shown Roscoe love throughout the years. He adopted the French bulldog back in 2013, the same year he debuted with the Mercedes AMG F1 team.
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Roscoe had a brief on-screen appearance in this year’s F1 movie starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. He would often accompany Hamilton to major events and was also routinely spotted in the F1 paddock.
Hamilton posted another tribute to Roscoe’s Instagram account, which boasts over 1 million followers, alongside two black and white photos of the vegan canine.
“Roscoe Hamilton passed away yesterday at 9:20 PM in his dad’s arms. He loved you all,” Hamilton captioned the post.
The F1 driver dropped out of Pirelli’s tire tests at Italy’s Mugello circuit on Friday and the Ferrari Style Show in Milan on Saturday amid concerns over Roscoe’s health.
Hamilton posted another tribute to Roscoe’s Instagram account, which boasts over 1 million followers, alongside two black and white photos of the vegan canine.
“Roscoe Hamilton passed away yesterday at 9:20 PM in his dad’s arms. He loved you all,” Hamilton captioned the post.
The F1 driver dropped out of Pirelli’s tire tests at Italy’s Mugello circuit on Friday and the Ferrari Style Show in Milan on Saturday amid concerns over Roscoe’s health.
“He was admitted into hospital and sedated to calm him while they did checks on him and during the process his heart stopped,” Hamilton said of Roscoe. “They managed to get a heartbeat back and now he’s in a coma."
“I’m by his side and want to thank you all for your prayers and support,” he concluded.
Source : People