Richard Hoye, 68, and Rudder were best friends for 14 years until Rudder passed away Wednesday, leaving not only Hoye but many in the downtown Bethesda community to mourn.
Rudder passed away Wednesday, leaving not only owner Richard Hoye but many in the downtown Bethesda community to mourn. (Courtesy of Richard Hoye)
Rudder passed away Wednesday, leaving not only owner Richard Hoye but many in the downtown Bethesda community to mourn. (Courtesy of Richard Hoye)
When Richard Hoye was riding his bicycle through downtown Bethesda, Maryland, his black Labrador retriever, Rudder, was right behind him in a pedicab.
Hoye, 68, and Rudder were best friends for 14 years until Rudder passed away Wednesday, leaving not only Hoye, but many in the downtown Bethesda community to mourn.
While holding Rudder’s Snoopy blanket, which he is now giving to his goddaughter, Hoye reflected on how his partner and co-pilot will be remembered.
“Rudder has taught me a lot about camaraderie and unconditional love,” Hoye said. “I have been the student. “I could never live up to the unconditional love Rudder gave me.”
Increasing community interconnectedness and sharing the joy of living in an urban community is part of Hoye’s mission. The retired firefighter and transportation advocate said Rudder helped him encourage others to seek more human interaction through the smiles and waves the pair elicited throughout the city.
“We are therapy animals for each other,” Hoye said. “I would like to remember him as one who brings out the joy in strangers who, as a result, become closer.”
The impact Hoye and Rudder had on the community was also evident when the community came together for a celebration of Rudder’s life. Her neighbor, Shahim Sebastian, organized the memorial and said that when she heard the news she knew she had to do something.
“Rudder was the first puppy we interacted with when we moved here,” Sebastian said. “My children love dogs, so their departure is like that of a valued member of the community. “Richard and Rudder are like shadows to each other.”
Hoye said he acquired Rudder when he was just a few months old, along with his mother Liesel, who passed away in 2015 at just four years old. After Liesel’s death, Hoye said he and Rudder became closer because he suffered from separation anxiety.
Naturally, not having owned a car for almost 30 years, Rudder riding on the back of his bike became the norm.
David Bondareff, owner of Pedego Electric Bikes and a friend of Richard and Rudder, said wherever Richard was, you could expect to see Rudder.
“My heart broke when he told me Rudder passed away,” Bondareff said. “I always looked forward to seeing Richard and Rudder when they came to the shop to say hello or do a repair. “They were both regulars in downtown Bethesda.”
Michele Givens, a longtime Lucas Lane neighbor, said she was very sad when she heard the news. And while there are many ways he could have spent Friday night, celebrating Rudder felt right.
“Things change a lot here in Bethesda and other parts of the area, but there are some constants and one of them was Richard with Rudder,” Givens said.
As for what’s next, Hoye says he plans to one day get another dog and continue bringing the community together through chance encounters and a sense of togetherness in loving something like a pet.
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