There are some souls that find you exactly when you need them most, and Winston Corona was one of those souls.

It was the day after Thanksgiving in 2016 when Winston came into the world, one of the only white pups in his litter. From the very beginning, he stood apart. While his siblings tumbled over one another in a flurry of energy and noise, Winston was the quiet one settled in the corner, watching, taking everything in. When his mom picked him up for the first time, something remarkable happened. Winston looked up at her with calm, steady eyes, as if he already knew. As if he had chosen her, too. She knew in that moment she simply had to bring him home. In January of 2017, she did exactly that, and Winston fit into his family as though he had always belonged there.

And in every way that truly mattered, he had.

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Winston was, in the most wonderful sense of the word, one of a kind. He carried a gentle skittishness about him that made his boldness with other animals all the more endearing. The moment he spotted another creature, whether dog, cat, or otherwise, he would go bounding right toward them, tail wagging, ready to play. He loved to run, to chase, and to be chased. He was always moving, always active, living each moment with the kind of enthusiasm that made everyone around him smile.

His favorite toys were rubber balls, and his relationship with them was legendary. He would chase them across the yard, hold them proudly in his mouth, and eventually, when he decided a ball had lived a full life, he would chew it into complete and glorious destruction. A ball did not last long in Winston's care, but it was loved deeply for every moment it survived.

Then there was his love of chicken. If his mom was cooking it, Winston would quietly position himself somewhere she could see him, sitting with the patience of a saint, eyes locked on her with that look that said he wasn't going anywhere until he got a piece. He always got his piece.

Winston adored being close to his mom. The moment she stood up from wherever she was sitting, he was already on his feet, ready to follow. He needed to be part of whatever she was doing, whether she was cooking, resting, or simply moving through the house. He was her shadow, and he wore that role with great pride.

He was also, it must be said, wonderfully, hilariously jealous. If his mom gave attention to another animal, Winston did not suffer in silence. He would bark, throw his entire body against her, and demand, without a single shred of shame, that the pets be redirected to him immediately. He was never aggressive, never unkind. He simply knew his place beside her and was committed to maintaining it. Winston never bit a soul in his life, but if someone was play fighting with his mom, he would come charging over, jumping on them and barking until they stopped. He was her protector, her loyal guardian dressed in white fur.

He was smart. He was a good listener. And he had a personality so big it filled every room he walked into.

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When Winston was fully relaxed, truly at peace, he had a signature move that his family came to adore. He would roll onto his back, all four legs dangling freely in the air, and look up at whoever was nearby completely upside down. It was his way of saying he was happy, safe, and exactly where he wanted to be. He loved sleeping on the bed, on the couch, and on soft carpet. He loved starting his mornings outside, sitting or lying in the grass near the pool, soaking in the quiet before the day began. After a good meal, a long nap was always in order, followed by an enthusiastic return to the yard to run and play all over again. Winston knew how to enjoy life.

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Two memories in particular will live in the hearts of those who loved him for the rest of their lives.

Nearly a year ago, Winston's mom welcomed her son into the world. Her recovery kept her away from home for several weeks, the longest she had ever been away from Winston. During that time, he sat by the window every single day, watching, waiting, hoping. Dogs do not have calendars or clocks, but Winston had something better. He had love, and love told him to keep waiting.

The day she finally came home, Winston recognized her car before she even made it to the door. He began zooming through the house, overtaken by a joy he could not contain. The moment she walked through the door, he came running, le