It Took A Highland Park Village To Find Our Little White Dog: Commentary

By Glencoe resident Laurie Ramsey Jaffe:

Not only are the people “Highland Park Strong,” but they are compassionate, committed, and huge-hearted. Our neighbors to the north rallied for our Glencoe family this week in touching ways that quite frankly overwhelmed us.

Last Friday, our beloved Stella – a 4-year-old, 12 pound shih tzu bichon mix – ran away from our dog-sitter’s home in west Highland Park. We were out of town celebrating college graduations for two of our children. For well-intentioned reasons, she waited until after the last graduation to tell us that Stella had been missing for two days. We were devastated and frantic about getting home to find her. It was a nightmare.

The sitter alerted authorities and had been on a non-stop search. Still, we knew the best way to find our pup was a “boots-on-the-ground” approach in the area where Stella had been seen, handing out flyers and talking with everyone we saw in northeast Highland Park/south Fort Sheridan.

By Sunday night, we had a fantastic network of strangers committed to helping us find Stella - our tiny “angel” dog. Our 15- and 14-year-old golden retrievers passed away over the winter, so we are especially bonded to her. Between our family and dear friends, we canvassed the neighborhood, talking to hundreds of people who said they would be on the lookout – and they meant it. Thanks to all the Stella sightings, we knew that our run-away was alive and traveling within a one-mile radius. But lightning speed and “fight or flight” mode made her an elusive catch - even for her family.

We hit the ground at sunrise Monday morning, returning to the site of every spotting over the previous several days. We had hope but knew that catching her would be daunting. Neighbors were kind, patient, and gracious, letting us search their yards, park our cars in inconvenient places, and ask questions. I met several lovely women who encouraged us to go home and rest. They reassured, “We are all looking for Stella; we talk to each other and know we will find her.”

After a brief rest at home, we got a call from the “Team Stella” neighborhood captain, who saw her and said we should come back, comb the area, and help close in around her. Our family rushed back to Highland Park from Glencoe, coordinating with the neighbors to track her. My son spotted her in the heavy brush and called out to Stella, but she ran away. Then, our daughter’s boyfriend saw our traumatized pup, but she darted back to the spot where neighbors were on watch. Ten minutes later, I answered my phone - “We’ve got her!” A heroic young man – part of the team looking for her – took a deep dive under a bush to grab her. We rushed over, and neighbors greeted us joyfully, with huge smiles, and led us to the car where our filthy, tick-infested Stella awaited. Exhausted, she licked our faces while we thanked and chatted with our new friends. They were thrilled for us and grateful to have played a critical role in this happy ending.

Immediately, we rushed Stella to the animal hospital, where they removed 85+ ticks. She was sore and traumatized, but X-rays and bloodwork showed that she was otherwise in good shape. We are beyond happy and grateful to have her home, safe and sound.

We have renewed faith in the power of community, connection and human compassion. I wish the world could function at this level. Without regard for race, religion, financial position, cultural orientation, or political position, our new friends – fueled by great empathy – rallied for strangers and their little white dog. Thank you! You inspired and touched our hearts in ways that we will never be able to express adequately.

Glencoe has been very good to our family, and we are here to stay, but if there were ever a place where we would consider moving, it would be the northeast corner of Highland Park. It is a beautiful pocket of the world, and we would love to be your honorary neighbors.

Laurie Ramsey Jaffe and family
Glencoe, IL

This commentary was provided by the Jaffe family. The views expressed here are the author's own.