Bridgewater Author Turns Loss Of Dog Into Story Of Love, Grief

BRIDGEWATER, NJ —Deanna Nye of Bridgewater has turned her grief of losing her rescue boxer, Rhylee, into a story of love, loss, and legacy.

While Nye only had Rhylee for 18 months, her lasting memory will live on forever in Nye's self-published book called "Rhylee: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Legacy One Dog Left Behind."

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"Rhylee was the dog who held my hand and took hold of my entire heart. She has a way of making ordinary moments unforgettable. A paw reaching for my hand. A place beside me that was simply hers. A love that became part of every day," Nye wrote on the back of her book.

The book tells the story of how Rhylee came into Nye's life through rescue work, even though she said she was not ready for another dog after losing a previous boxer.

"My heart was not ready to get another dog," she said. But Rhylee quickly changed that. "She was not even here five minutes, and she just jumped on me and loved me," she said.

Nye began writing after Rhylee became ill and died shortly after turning 6 years old on Dec. 21, 2025.

She said the book took shape during a difficult period that also included her mother's temporary vision loss and, weeks later, her husband's heart attack at home.

Writing gave Nye a place to put emotions she was trying not to show her children.

"I think because I had to, I had to make sure my grief wasn't visible to my kids," she said. "I didn't want them to feel sad."

"So I put it into words," said Nye.

Nye wants readers to understand that grief after a pet's death is real and valid.

"People look at pets as," 'Oh, they're just pets,' but to some people, that's all they have," she said. "Their pets are their children. My pets are my children."

She said the book is also meant to reassure readers who have experienced a similar loss.

"I want readers to know you lost a pet. What you're feeling is absolutely okay to feel that way," she said. "The grief was enormous, and it still is."

Nye also touched on how animals are treated under New Jersey law.

"Dogs and cats alike are only treated as property in New Jersey, and they're not," she said. "They're companions. They're sentient beings."

She said she wants state laws to change and said there is legislation in the works tied to Rhylee's legacy.

Looking back, the author said the decision to write came down to purpose.

"I couldn't change what happened to her, but I could decide what to do with it," she said.

She also encouraged people to consider fostering and adoption, saying, "People should do it. People should go to rescues and go to shelters and look around because you never know your soul dog could be waiting for you."

To buy Nye's book, "Rhylee: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Legacy One Dog Left Behind," visit amazon.com.

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