Just months after losing her father, โAliasโ star Jennifer Garner is mourning yet another devastating loss as she bids farewell to her cherished pet.
A day before Thanksgiving, Jennifer Garner is grieving the loss of her beloved dog, Birdie. The actress broke the news to her fans on Instagram in a tearful statement,ย referringย to Birdie asย โthe worldโs best dog.โ

โIt is hard to know how to write thisโit seems nuts, given the world, to mourn a pet, but since we have shared Birdie with all of you, it only seems fair to let you know of her passing,โย Jenniferย wrote. She explained that Birdie had suddenly fallen ill on Thursday, and a visit to the vet revealed her pet was at the end of her life.

Given that Birdie appeared to wait for one of her kids to return from college, Jennifer was appreciative of the timing. As a result, the family was able to spend their last time together, stroking Birdieโs tender ears and expressing gratitude for the love she had given them.
Birdie was more than just a pet to the actress; she was a cherished family member. Jenniferโs well-liked Instagram series,ย โPretend Cooking Show,โย often featured the golden retriever, who particularly enjoyed reading to people. In addition, she was a therapy dog that made many people happy and comfortable.
โShe lived a happy dog life and is now in the role she was born to play: angel girl. Itโs a gift to love and be loved by such a creature as Birdie the Doggie.ย ,โย Jenniferย shared, accompanied by photos and videos of her time with Birdie.

In one video, Jennifer readย โPeteโs a Pizza,โย a work by William Steig, to the two as they relaxed on a sofa, both wearing reading glasses. Another showed her holding Birdie and singing to her, playingfully using Birdieโs paws to join in.


Jenniferโs heartfelt post resonated deeply with her followers and drew an outpouring of condolences from friends and celebrities.ย โBlack-ishโย star Tracee Ellis Rossย commented,ย โย these furry beings bring so much goodness.โย Meanwhile,ย โFriendsโย alum Jennifer Anistonย added,ย โOh Jenโฆ
Iโm so sorry. Sending so much love.โ

Chef Ina Garten alsoย wroteย her sympathies,ย โOh Jennifer, Iโm heartbroken for you!!! She was the best buddy and always up for an adventure with all of you. Sending my love to you and the kids. Iโm so glad theyโre home with you now. Birdie will be eating turkey in heaven.โ
Jennifer sought solace from her community and family during her time of loss. Sheย got back together with her ex-husbandย Ben Affleck and their kids on Thanksgiving Day to work at the Midnight Mission in Los Angeles.
They worked side by side and shared enjoyable moments for three hours as they served 2,000 homeless and near-homeless people at the non-profitโs annual Thanksgiving meal.
Ben donned a brown button-down shirt and remained near their kids, while Jennifer wore a navy sweater and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Ben also celebrated his first Thanksgiving without Jennifer Lopez, his estranged wife.
This yearโs Thanksgiving was bittersweet because Jennifer was going through a difficult period. She revealed in April that her father, Williamย โBilly Jackโย Garner, had passed away in the company of his loved ones.

Jennifer posted aย heartfelt homageย to William on Instagram, showcasing a variety of lovely father-daughter experiences from her early years spent with him to more recent family get-togethers with him.

The affectionate family images that Jennifer provided, some of which included her mother Patricia Garner and her sisters, Susannah Kay Garner Carpenter and Melissa Garner Wylie, demonstrated the unmistakable relationship that existed between her and her late father.

One particularly poignant addition was a video from a previous Capital One advertising campaign in which Jennifer, with William joining her at the end, recounted her fatherโs joy inย obtainingย โthe Jennifer Garner card.โ
Theย โElektraโย starโs caption, which accompanied the endearing images, conveyed a deep sense of loss balanced with appreciation for her fatherโs life.

โMy dad passed peacefully Saturday afternoon. We were with him, singing Amazing Grace as he left usโฆ While there is no tragedy in the death of an 85-year-old man who lived a healthy, wonderful life, I know grief is unavoidable. Today is for gratitude,โย sheย wrote.

She also emphasized how he was a loving husband to her mother for 59 years and a patient, kind, and devoted father to her and her siblings. Jennifer also expressed gratitude to the medical staff at City of Hope and Charleston Area Medical Center for giving William the best care possible.

Jennifer, one of three girls,ย describedย her upbringing in Charleston, West Virginia, asย โpretty peaceful,โย influenced by her father, who worked for Union Carbide, and her mother, who was a schoolteacher.
Jennifer toldย โPBSโsโย Kelly Corrigan in October 2020 that despite the familyโs strong West Virginian roots, William was a global man. His zest for adventure brought him all over the world, teaching his girls the value of home and the necessity of perseverance.
Previously referred to asย โBillโย by Jennifer when she was younger, the actress spoke about how this then changed toย โBilly Jack,โย highlighting his Texan roots which, she said, grew deeper the older he got. While discussing his persona, Jennifer fondlyย remarked,ย โMy dad isโheโs so great.โ

Jenniferโs social media has long been a testament to the significant role her family has played in her life, even going beyond her interviews where she would gush about her father and loved ones. She published a heartwarming post in September 2023 that had a rotating collection of pictures from aย trip to Charlestonย with her family.
She posted a number of images and videos, one of which was a sweet photograph of her and William standing next to a 1948 Studebaker Champion that she had given him as an early birthday present.
Another postย from September 2022 honored the late devoted fatherโs birthday, using the same photo from Jennifer Garnerโs most recent tribute post following Williamโs passing.

In this same post, she detailed his lifeโs milestones and the profound impact he had on his family. A part of the loving captionย read,ย โHappy birthday. Billy Jack Garner, son of George Floyd and Exie Mae. Eagle Scout, @tamu Corps Cadet and Ross Volunteer. Class of 1960. Union Carbide Chemical Engineer for close to 40 years.โ
This detailed account was also interwoven withย personal anecdotesย such asย โIn my dad, my grandfather had a best little buddy, his brilliant adorable sidekick,โย andย โWe have the OG Girl Dadโthe best granddad out there, the ultimate problem solver and world-class hugger.โ
Concluding her statement, sheย added,ย โWe are so proud to be yours, Dad. We celebrate you every day and love you.โ
Jennifer gave a heartfelt tribute to her late father, a man who lived a long life, received love from his family, and left a legacy of integrity, love, and strength.
The world got a peek at the extraordinary guy William was as Sarah, her sisters, and her mother celebrated his life and reminisced about the past. The Garner family celebrated the life of a cherished father and husband and found comfort in thankfulness amidst their sorrow.
Throughout a challenging year, Jennifer Garnerโs generosity and tributes demonstrate her resilience. She finds solace in love, thankfulness, and connectionโfrom remembering her father to appreciating her dog Birdie to giving back to her community.
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