Cindy Crawford is mourning the loss of what she feared most as a child

Cindy Crawford, the original supermodel who’s graced just about every major magazine cover and runway on Earth, just shared a deeply personal story on Instagram, and it’s one that hits home for any pet lover who’s ever had to say goodbye.

Turns out, Crawford didn’t grow up surrounded by wagging tails and floppy ears. In fact, she was actually afraid of dogs for most of her early life. “I didn’t grow up with dogs and, in fact, had been afraid of dogs since I was little as I got bit twice as a young girl,” she wrote. 

© Alexander Tamargo

Childhood fears, especially when reinforced by painful experiences, can stick around for a long time. But motherhood has a way of shifting things. For Crawford, becoming a mom meant breaking that fear cycle. “After I had kids, I knew I didn’t want to pass my fear of dogs along to them, so we got two small dogs — that weren’t too scary,” she added, with a wink to the kind of “starter dogs” many families opt for. 

Enter Widget and her sibling Sugar, pint-sized pups with oversized personalities. What started as a parenting decision quickly blossomed into something much more profound. Crawford wrote about the joy and playfulness the dogs brought into her home. 

But after 17 years of puppy love, Widget’s journey has come to an end. “We had to say goodbye to our little girl Widget yesterday. She was a puppy for 17 years and we will miss her. Hopefully she is eating endless snacks with her ‘sister’ Sugar somewhere in doggy heaven,” Crawford shared.

It’s the kind of loss that can feel seismic. Pets have a way of lodging themselves into our hearts, not just as companions but as co-conspirators in the mess and magic of daily life. 

© GC Images

Crawford’s post struck a chord with fans who’ve felt that same ache of letting go. There’s also something beautiful about how this story came full circle. From being a girl too scared to pet a dog to becoming a mother who made space for joy, connection, growth, and, ultimately, grief, Crawford’s journey with Widget is as much about personal transformation as it is about pet ownership.