“River is an old soul,” Duda said. “He’s calm, attentive and loving. My children have been able to gently grieve and heal with River and Remi by their side.”
“I expected the kittens to bring us joy, but truly they’ve brought us peace,” she added. “River, covered in hearts, is mending broken hearts.”
While River loves spending time with his human siblings, he still watches out for his little kitten brother.
“River is almost twice the size of Remi and acts as his guardian,” Duda said. “Yesterday, Remi wanted to sit in a large potted plant in our dining room. I had put foil in the pot to discourage the kittens from playing with the dirt and Remi was displeased. I watched River kindly remove the foil for Remi so he could lay in the dirt.”
The hearts on River’s fur have always been there, but for Duda, they’re also a sign that she made the right choice.
“My first thought was that River’s hearts are Lucky’s way of making sure we know how much he loves us,” Duda said. “River’s hearts may not be a literal message to my family, but the love they bring is very real.”