The Q-View

Rio, an 11-year-old, black and white Cockapoo, passed away suddenly on May 6, 2024, He was the re-homed dog of the late Terry and Ernie Quatrani.

Rio, also known as Rio-dog, The Doginator and Rioski, was a 27-pound lapdog who never met anyone or anything he did not want to bark at.

While he lived in East Greenville, Rio liked walks in Camelot Park, and, later when he moved to Ardmore, he enjoyed walks around the neighborhood and a nearby park, and meeting new dogs. He also loved strolls in Ocean City, NJ, even venturing on the sand, and cheese, pasta, everyone who rubbed his belly, and playing catch with his reddish orange ball. 

Like his late step-brother, Leo, Rio was undefeated when it came to barking off the mail person each and every day. 

Rio was “scouted” by his late mother, Terry, who drove to Delaware in February 2020 after seeing an ad on social media. His future father, still suffering from the trauma of Leo’s death and preferred to wait before getting another dog, deferred to his wife, Terry, and Rio arrived at his new home in East Greenville in Feb. 2020.

It was a fortuitous decision. About a month later Terry became ill and was hospitalized for a month and Rio became my sidekick and distraction during a very difficult time, made worse by the social isolation created by COVID.

Rio was also a comfort to Terry as she battled to overcome her illness.

When Terry took a turn for the worse in August, Rio was there when I got home from the hospital visits and the only one present to greet me after I returned home from Jefferson University Hospital on August 19, 2020, after holding Terry’s hand as she passed away unexpectedly in the wee hours of the morning.

Rio hopped up on the bed and I petted him for hours until I finally dozed off.

In the years that followed, Rio was with me through lonely days, on long walks while realtors showed our house, accompanied me on visits to my mother–who loved to see him.

Rio was the one to greet me when I returned home after my mother’s death a year later.

Rio was with his “brother” Matt and me when we stayed at his “aunt” Joanne’s for several months after we moved from East Greenville and while my mother’s house was being renovated.

All the while a tangible connection to Terry, making his death doubly hurtful.

The newly renovated house took some time for Rio to get used to, especially the hardwood floors, but he adapted and grew to like the fenced in backyard, although he would never stay out there alone.

Rio grew to love Cindy when we started dating and even let her walk him–all the while keeping a wary eye that I was close by.

When Cindy and I married in Feb. 2024, Rio was there to greet us the next day and magnanimously allowed us to share his bedroom.

Cindy was with me when we drove Rio to the vet hospital because he was having trouble breathing on May 6. Heart issues had cropped up and he had already spent an overnight in the hospital.

Rio rebounded on the way to the hospital and was his normal self in the waiting room: straining the leash to try and visit other pets, alternating between sitting and standing at attention and making me walk him into the treatment area. 

I was pretty sure he was going to be hospitalized again, but when the vet walked in to update us he told us that, while they were prepping Rio for an MRI, he had collapsed and died.  

Rio is sorely missed by “stepmom” Cindy and Ernie, his “brother” Matthew, “aunt” Vicki, “aunt” Judi, his walker, Sheryl, and his “grandkids” Dom and Nate and Mickey, who sometimes still ask for him.

Contributions in Rio’s name can be sent to Last Chance Ranch, 9 Beck Rd., Quakertown, PA 18951.

And/or just be kind to the next dog you meet in Rio’s memory.