Pink’s Forever Love: A Story of Signs, Companionship, and Connection
By Together at Peace | Jenny Benka, Guest Contributor
Some loves find you when you need them most. For Jenny Benka, that love came in the form of a pitbull named Pink, a loyal companion sent, she believes, by her sister Megan who had passed years earlier. Pink entered Jenny’s life on Valentine’s Day. From the moment their eyes met at an adoption event, Jenny knew they were meant for each other. The universe had whispered through her grief, “Here she is.”
Pink’s love was steady, joyful, and deeply intertwined with Jenny’s life. She was not just a dog, she was family. She walked Jenny down the aisle at her wedding, tail wagging proudly as she trotted from the back deck to meet Jenny’s dad and then her soon to be husband, Joe. It was a small backyard wedding during COVID, intimate and full of love, and Pink was right at the heart of it.
She loved lake trips, barking for someone to throw a toy into the water, and jumping off the boat again and again until Joe would lift her back aboard, only for her to do it all over again. Pink loved car rides, pup cups, posing for pictures, and dressing up for Halloween. She was an athlete at heart, hiking, running, swimming, playing fetch, or even running on the treadmill. And through all of it, she smiled. Always that happy, camera ready smile.
When Jenny and Joe welcomed their daughter Alyvia two years ago, Pink instantly became a gentle protector. She stayed close as Alyvia slept, offered endless kisses, and shared quiet moments of comfort. As Pink’s health began to decline, Alyvia showed the same love back, offering hugs, trying to help her stand, and after Pink’s passing, hugging a stuffed dog named “Pinkie” every day to keep her memory close.
Jenny remembers Pink’s final day as one filled with peace and meaning, as if Megan herself had arranged the details. There were signs everywhere, a ladybug in the kitchen during Pink’s last meal, a butterfly fluttering by at the park, and a pink heart bandage placed over Pink’s IV. Each small moment whispered reassurance: “She’s not alone.”
Even after Pink passed, the signs continued, the television flickering off like it did after Megan’s passing, ladybugs appearing, and a butterfly resting on a pink flower pot. When Jenny picked up Pink’s ashes, she swears she could smell that familiar “stinky fart” that made her laugh through tears. In those moments, she felt the connection between Pink and Megan, a bond now renewed in the heavens.
Pink’s love inspired Jenny to become an advocate for pitbulls and rescue dogs, fostering, volunteering, and supporting shelters through donations and handmade products. Though life shifted during COVID, Jenny now feels called to return to that passion, honoring Pink’s spirit by helping others find their own forever companions.
Every February 14th, Jenny celebrates Pink’s heavenly birthday with a dog cake, a walk along their favorite path, and a pink balloon release with Alyvia, sending love to both Pink and Megan. On the anniversary of their passing, she sets aside quiet moments to sit in Pink’s favorite park, surrounded by memories and music that bring her comfort.
Jenny writes, “I will always remember her happy smile. I know she is still with me through our memories and the signs that keep popping up all around.”
Pink’s story reminds us that love never fades, it only changes form. Through butterflies, pink hearts, and the laughter of a little girl hugging her stuffed “Pinkie,” love continues its gentle work of reminding us we are never truly apart.
