NetflixEven if you’ve never seen it, chances are you know of Queer Eye and the magic they somehow conjure on the show.
And while most people are familiar with the Fab Five – Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk and Jonathan Van Ness – and their wondrous ways, the sixth member of the crew was undoubtedly Bruley, the adorable French Bulldog who hung out with the guys at their loft and basically stole every scene he was in.
Sadly, Bruley’s owner Michelle Silva recently shared the sad news Bruley had passed away aged around 10 years old, from heart problems.
Posting the news on Instagram, Michelle wrote:
My whole heart. My love bug. My best friend. My constant. My soul mate. My everything. I brought him home when he was 9 weeks old on a rainy day in New York City. Ten years later on a rainy day in LA, he passed away in my arms on my bedroom floor.
Bru had been suffering from heart problems, and an instant heart attack was a possibility. He just had too much love and heart for his physical body. It all happened so fast, but I held him as he took his last breath, and I was able to tell him I loved him the very most.
I told him everyday I loved him more than anything in the world, and I reminded him of that over and over as he slipped out of this life. My best friend and boyfriend held us both. He gave me more than I could have ever given him, and I was able to thank him for allowing me to be his mom. He chose me.
Michelle continued:
In the last year of his life, he found fame! Over the course of 16 episodes of @queereye, in just a few moments on screen, you guys all got a glimpse of the Bru I knew and loved.
He was hilarious, stubborn, sometimes inappropriate, and always a sucker for a snack. He was pure love. It’s been so fun capturing his spirit and sharing more with you all here. I’ve taken a few days to process and grieve and figure out what’s next.
Michelle explained she will continue to share Bruley’s story, especially the health issues he went through towards the end of his life:
I’ve realized, I don’t want to stop sharing the best of Bru. I also want to show you a little of what it was like the last few months dealing with an ailing dog in heart failure as more and more dogs are being diagnosed with the same issues. I was so close to completing Bru’s website with long-awaited merch. I’ll get there in time. I’ve also been exploring non-profit opportunities and getting involved in bulldog rescue. There is so much Bru inspired, and it’s so much bigger than I even realized.
The cast of Queer Eye also took to Instagram to pay tribute to Bruley, writing: ‘RIP to our dear bru bru! Each time we returned to our loft in Kansas City you were always there to greet us and that brought us so much joy. We hope you have an endless supply of treats to munch on.’
Rest in peace, Bru.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.