Tom Hardy And Woody: Actor Writes Heartbreaking Tribute Mourning His Beloved Dog

Tom Hardy and his pet dog Woody have been best friends for years. And with Woody having recently died after a six-month battle with a muscle disorder, the British actor took to the internet and posted a tribute to a dog whom he called a “shining example of man’s best friend.”

According to US Magazine, Tom Hardy and Woody had first met when the actor rescued the dog as a stray puppy, and he would often appear on film sets and movie premieres. And while Hardy said in his touching remembrance to his late pet that he’s normally not the type to speak about family and friends, he stressed that Woody’s passing was an “unusual circumstance” and one that warranted a lengthy tribute.

As Tom Hardy pointed out, Woody’s full name was Woodstock, and he had found the dog on a turnpike while he was driving in the Atlanta area during the shooting of the film, Lawless. In the letter that he posted on his official Tumblr account, Hardy, 39, talked about how Woody was “terrified and utterly quiet” when he first found him, and he had named the dog after his Lawless co-star, Jessica Chastain, asked whether the 11-week-old puppy was male or female.

“Jessica asked me was he a girl or a boy. Its a boy I said. How do you know. Erm… I can feel his Woodstock.”

Tom Hardy would then nurse Woody back to health, and he had found a new best friend following the death of his previous dog, Max. And with Woody now accompanying him to photo shoots and premieres, the growing dog made “many, many friends,” and was, as Tom related, even named the 73rd most influential animal by TIME. He was also a loving companion who “didn’t have a bad bone in his body.”

Tom Hardy wrote an emotional tribute after his dog Woody passed away — grab your tissues before reading https://t.co/8CACujIoJ7

— JustJared.com (@JustJared) June 9, 2017

Unfortunately, Tom Hardy would have to part with Woody, and the six-year-old dog’s six-month battle with aggressive polymyositis ended on Monday, June 5. Merck’s veterinary manual website describes polymyositis as a systemic, inflammatory muscle disorder that affects adult dogs. The disease’s symptoms include depression, lethargy, weight loss, weakness, and muscle atrophy, and while the prognosis is usually favorable, it’s not unusual for dogs to suffer relapses, and for the disease to be chronic and progressive in nature.

“He was Far too young to leave us and We at home are devastated by his loss I am ultimately grateful for his loyal companionship and love and it is of some great comfort that he is no longer suffering,” Hardy continued.

“Above all I am completely gutted. the world for me was a better place with him in it and by my side.”

After describing Woody as the “bestest” friend and journey companion ever, he talked about how his late dog had “burnt very bright,” but ultimately “burnt half as long” as he should have. He also concluded the tribute by referencing his previous dog, Max, and how he and Woody would now be “running with the angels.”

“Thank you Woody for choosing to find us. We will love you and be with you and you with us forever. Never ever ever forgotten. Your Boy tom xxx I love you beyond words. To the moon and back again and again to Infinity and beyond. Run with Max now and the Angels. I will see you when I get there.”

Tom Hardy had noted in his Woody tribute that his dog had made an appearance in the British television series, Peaky Blinders. The Telegraph wrote that that wasn’t Woody’s only TV appearance, as he had recently appeared with Hardy on CBeebies Bedtime Stories. According to The Independent, this was the Dark Knight Rises actor’s second appearance on the show, and while he’s made his name in Hollywood as a top villain, he had stood out as an “excellent bedtime story teller,” reading Tom McLaughlin’s The Cloudspotter with Woody by his side.

[Featured Image by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images]