Ruby, I'll miss you.

It should not come to a surprise to anyone that knows us, that my wife and I are big animal lovers. We were out of town this weekend and had only been home a few minutes we got word that an old friend had died.
Ruby the Tiger was the star of Roanoke’s Mill Mountain Zoo. It is not the biggest or best zoo in the world, but it is ours and it gives us the opportunity to see some beautiful animals up close and personal.
No trip to Mill Mountain was complete without a stop by Ruby’s enclosure.
It is believed Ruby was 19 years old, but zoo officials aren’t sure of her age or exact heritage. She was seized from an illegal animal collector in Danville.
She spent 18 years at the zoo as its biggest attraction, mascot and soul.
My favorite Ruby story was several years ago. Stephanie and I were standing at her enclosure watching her when a mother brought a small child up to the glass. This little girl couldn’t have much more than two or three years old. She hadn’t seen Ruby yet and as her mother pointed the large cat out to her, the little girl’s face lit up and she shrieked, “Mamaw’s kitty!”
We laughed, and even though Ruby outweighed “Grandma’s Kitty” by almost 300 pounds, maybe that little girl wasn’t far off.
Despite age and arthritis, Ruby was as much a part of the Valley’s family as some of our favorite feline friends.
The last time I saw her, her eyes were bright and she looked contented. I could even hear her purr. It sounded very much like the much smaller cats that share my home. That’s the way I will always remember her.