Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.

Unconditional love every second of every day is one of a billion things that make our four-legged best friends the most beautiful souls, and Spencer shared it with Boston and every marathon runner.

Rich Powers
Rich Powers
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It's hard not to ugly cry over learning the news of Spencer's passing, and then watching the memorial video that I've attached at the bottom.  If you're a pet owner, you get it, because we know this kind of loss is devastating.

Spencer, the Boston Marathon’s official dog, passed away at 13-and-a-half years old from cancer.  Say it with me now: "Eff Cancer."

Spencer's owner, Rich Powers, expressed the devastating news on Facebook, saying that because of Spencer's various battles with cancer, they truly expected to lose him two years ago. However, Spencer was clearly not ready after receiving the love and positive energy from hundreds of thousands of fans.

We were loaned an incredible gift in 2009 and we had to return the gift last Friday. Spencer passed in our home with the help of our compassionate vet on Friday.  We have enjoyed sharing our special gift with you all. He has been an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of people. He was an angel on earth. Any who had the good fortune to actually meet him in person can attest that when you touched him he emitted pure energy and light. Spencer will forever be in our hearts and we are devastated with his passing.

He was definitely an inspiration for a lot of reasons. The marathon is about overcoming challenges, and he overcame a lot of them.  He had some incredible odds to beat, and he beat them. What he’s all about is that you can overcome every single thing you thought you couldn’t.

Here's how it all started with Spencer, as Boston.com explains it so well.  You see, he first appeared on the Boston Marathon track in 2015, two years after the Boston Marathon bombings, but went viral in 2018 while encouraging runners as they battled a rainy day.  In 2019, Spencer stood out even more, dressed in a bright yellow raincoat. During the 2021 Boston Marathon, Spencer was officially recognized.

Here is a memorial video, and I'm still balling my eyes out.  And thank you, Spencer.

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