Corrinne,
I am so very, very sorry. My love to you and Willem.
Robby
Words fail. I’m so sorry Coreene. I don’t know what else to say.
Jane
“Never trust a man in a blue trench coat, never drive a car when you’re dead.” Tom Waits
Oh Coreene. 
Rest well, dear Willem. You probably had a huge reception committee waiting for you across the bridge, the biggest they’ve seen in a long time no doubt.
"I hope one of the fighting mothers-in-law gets bitch slapped with a fresh trout."
[I]Merry, June 24, 2003[/I]I am so very sorry for your loss. There are no words that can ever heal the wound of a lost loved one, but remember that everyone here “loffs” and supports you…big hugs from your online family.
*“The English country gentleman galloping after a fox - The unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable.” - Oscar Wilde
My deepest sympathies, Coreene. I hope I will be as brave and strong as you when the time comes for me to make the same decision.
You gave him the greatest gifts a horse could ever hope for. Rescue, love and finally freedom from pain.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for sharing your boy with us. He was a rare treasure. He will be missed greatly!
Peace to your heart.
Run free, Willem!!!
Coreene, I read this thread earlier, but couldn’t respond because I couldn’t see through the tears to type. I am not sure I can now, but I have to try… 
I wanted to add along with everyone else’s thoughts what Willem has brought to our lives.
People, and horses like him are a rare and precious experience. Thus, being larger than life, the hole that they leave behind is just as big and deep. The hard part is trying to negotiate past that big void to go forward with life.
However, without them our lives would be boring and dull. Willem was a true individual, and I wanted to say thank you so much for sharing him with us. He truly made me laugh countless times, and selfishly I will miss that part of him.
You are a strong person, and a good egg in my book. You did what was best for him in the end. You can be no truer friend than that.
Hugs to you Coreene…
I am so very, very sorry to tell you that my beloved Willem went to the Rainbow Bridge at 3 PM yesterday. He did his best, we all did our best, but it was not meant to be. He never suffered, but when his respiration suddenly became elevated from one minute to the next, he whinnied to me, had one of his beloved red apples, rubbed his head against me for a long time and told me that he was read to go. I called the vet immediately, she was there in no time and he went quietly and with great dignity. His friends and family were all there to say goodbye to him.
I will miss him more than you will know. He was my best friend and my dance partner and each day of the eleven years I had him was a dream come true. But the most gracious gift we can give these gentle giant friends, who put their lives in our hands, is a dignified, pain-free passing without any heroic measures. We had done all we could, but he was not meant to have the gift of years.
Your kind words and prayers and jingles and emails and calls have meant more to me that you will ever know.
We always cover the horses whenever possible, so that they are not laying out there for everyone to see while waiting for the truck to come. And it brought a huge smile to my face to see that the tarp that Julie brought over was actually a huge yellow banner that had HAPPY BIRTHDAY written across the side. We all found it to be highly fitting that we were sending him off on what indeed was a new birthday for him with a banner that said exactly that.
[This message was edited by Coreene on Jul. 16, 2003 at 12:39 PM.]
Coreene,
I never posted on Willem’s threads, but as I sit here with tears falling, I feel like I have lost someone I knew well; I can only imagine what you and your family are going through. At least you know he is not in pain and doesn’t need to wear his pink Sicilian grandma slippers anymore!
If there’s anything you need, or anything we can do for you, please let us know.
Taryn
Oh no…
I’m so sorry - geez. I never know what to say - just so very, very sorry this has happened.
He will be missed by so many people here, even though many of us only knew him through “his” posts. He was a remarkable gentleman, and I hope he is as happy on the other side as he was here. You gave him a wonderful life.
[I]One of the lessons of history is that Nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say.
- Will Durant [/I]
Coreene, So sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you can take comfort in all the wonderful days you and Willem had together and know that you gave him an amazing life while he was here. We will all miss him dearly!
Coreene,
just another lurker who just couldn’t get enough of reading what Willem had to say. So shocked and saddened to see the news today. He touched so many hearts, many he didn’t even know. It strikes me now, how special it was that Willem found you in this world, and vice versa! It must have been predestined, somehow.
Sending warm condolences for your loss, and thanks to Willem for sharing his thoughts with us,
Arcadien
acadiafarm@juno.com
Coreene,
Thank you for sharing Willem with us.
I’ve had more laughs from your German friend than I ever dare admit to anyone…or try to explain.
He is now truly your guardian angel.
A friend will help you move.
A really good friend will help you move a body.
Corinne,
I am so sorry for the pain you are enduring. I know DeeDee is feeding him apples by the bushel and they are both looking down on you with love.
You have brought so much happiness to the this BB. You brought us Willem, and Willem brought us laughter.
You did what any good Mommy would do, you gave him back his life. Happy Birthday Willem, and I am so sorry for your pain Corrine.
Lisa
Aiden’s web page.
give life, be an organ donor www.shareyourlife.org
Coreene –
I’m so sorry for your loss… and for the loss to all of us who so enjoyed Willem’s posts. Hope you draw some peace from knowing how much he was loved and how much support is flowing to you.
Debbie
Coreen-
I am so sorry to hear about Willem. We will all miss him terribly. I know that your heart is broken today. Hopefully the love of your friend will help hold it together until Willem can send you another friend to keep you company. And I am let without a doubt that whatever companion he sends you will, without a doubt, be the most hysterical, demanding and self-assured creature know to man. I am sure he will “hoof” pick you a special friend one day in the distant furture to show you exactly how much he loved you.
snif…
Hugs, Hollyn & Mellvin
“I’ve got a holiday, a paid holiday, I’ve got a holiday in my head”
OMG…I am so deeply sorry for the loss of your beloved boy. Prayers and thoughts are in my heart for you both.
Ride and let ride…
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I wish you strength and peace. RIP, Willem.
Coreene, I don’t know what to say, but I had to say something. You made the ultimate sacrifice for Willem and I know he loves you all the more for it. I’m thinking of you and I’m thinking of Willem. Hang in there.
easyjumper1, I told him goodbye in Dutch. Told him “Nonnie komt met koekjes voor jou.” I could just picture her giving him spekulaas, one of his all-time favorites, and boterkoek, another treat.
awww shit coreene, all I can say is that I am glad I don’t work. I am sitting here bawling my eyes out after I read your poem.
I am glad that you are keeping his stall. You’re right, he’d have wanted you to. I am glad you are hanging in there.
Now I have to go get another box of Kleenex. So sad that he’s gone, but better to have known him than not at all. We are all missing him too.
Elippses Users Clique…Co-Founder Occularly Challenged Equine Support Group, and the new “I own an accident prone horse clique”
“And how’s that working for ya?” Dr. Phil
