Mango Man, oh yeah!

Today, Petey has once more taken over this blog...

 

Ah, friends, we lost a good one today. Our friend Mango has headed over the bridge to join many of our friends (and my left eye) in that marvelous place of no pain, no leashes, and endless mountains of bacon and cheeseburgers.

I join a chorus of hundreds who will sing Mango's praises today and we've wiped away tears more than once today, but rather than lament his death, I say let's raise our paws to a RELENTLESSLY HUGE LIFE WELL-LIVED.

Let's celebrate how lucky we all were to be friends with Mango.

 

Devoted to charity and those less-fortunate than himself, he and his brother Peewee were proud supporters of the "Lacie Date Survivor" cause. He man(go)ed hot lines and saved more than a few unknowing pups.

  

He also was a very vocal proponent to bringing an end to Lacie's Smoothie business.

 

 He was a great traveller and adventurer, even if this trip to South Africa resulted him getting into some hot water. While the tribe were disappointed not to sample delicious mango, The Relentlessly Huge reported it was the best hot tub he'd ever experienced.

 Along with his great pal, Joe Stains, Mango traveled to the Highlands of Scotland several times. His kilt still holds the record for most tartan ever used. No doubt he and Joey are discussing the Red Sox and Yankees seasons right this moment.

Truly a ladies man(go), Mango had international beauties drooling all over him (and vice versa!)

 His producer debut on "Beagadoon" -- the all-canine retelling of the classic musical Brigadoon -- won him his first Oscar Meyer award.

 For such a relentlessly huge fella, Mango was surprisingly light on his feet. Whether he was rivaling the pros from Dancing with the Stars in the ballroom...

 

...winning rave reviews for his performance as The Nutcracker prince in the Boston Ballet...

 

...mastering a Highland fling with a teeny partner...

 

 ...or kicking up his heels with the Rockettes (okay, so he smushed a couple of them.)

 Today we lost Andy Williams as well. And I think his most famous song is appropriate today as we remember and celebrate our friend Mango.

Two drifters, off to see the world, 

there's such a lot of world to see. 

We're after the same rainbow's end, waiting 'round the bend

My Huckleberry friend, Moon River and me.

Until we meet again, dear friend...