WYOMING, Mich — After the search for Ray Tarasiewicz came to an end last month, his family is now honoring the legacy he left behind.
His daughter, Amanda, is remembering her father by fostering a puppy with the 'Paws With a Cause' program, because she said Ray always loved dogs and wanted to give back.
And on what would have been Ray's 70th birthday, Amanda McCarty sat down with 13 ON YOUR SIDE to share her emotional and steadfast journey over the past several months.
69-year-old Tarasiewicz disappeared from his home in Wyoming on Nov 21.
"After my dad went missing, I just knew I needed something to focus on and put my energy into," said McCarty.
In early January, McCarty decided to foster a puppy with 'Paws With a Cause' because her dad was such an avid dog-lover.
"I wanted something where I could get an outlet, so I guess you could call it puppy therapy," she smiled.
Four-month-old Mocha, a black lab, came to live with McCarty and her family in Middleville as they continued the agonizing and emotional search for her father.
"I know one thing is that I love dogs, and two, is that I was struggling," she said, "and I also wanted to find ways to say thank you to the community for all their help and support."
60 days after his disappearance, Ray's body was found by a family that had been looking for their dog near a swamp in Byron Township. McCarty said it was no surprise that a dog was involved in bringing them answers.
"It was time for us to have that piece of the missing puzzle," said McCarty, "and it just makes me smile that my dad is all around us, because he knew how hard it was for us to not have that answer of where he was."
And now, McCarty's heart is invested in Mocha, who she said represents all the love her father had.
"Every day I just think about how my dad would have loved her," she smiled, "and I know he'd talk about how big her paws are."
Amanda and her family will raise Mocha until she's about a year old and will then go train and work as a service dog through 'Paws With a Cause.'
"For me, it was like what can I physically do that can honor my dad, and just say thank you to Grand Rapids and West Michigan," said McCarty.
"Obviously his legacy will always live on, but I can kind of continue thinking about him through puppy raising," she added. "It was a no-brainer for me to commit to that. It's a big commitment obviously, but it's a really cool commitment, too."
'Paws With a Cause' is a local nonprofit based out of West Michigan that raises dogs that go on to become assistance dogs for people with disabilities. They also become facility dogs to provide emotional support or rehabilitation services in facilities like hospitals and schools.
"It's always going to be a merry-go-round or a teeter-totter of the good and the bad," said McCarty, "but I definitely feel like now, with her (Mocha) in our family, the good outweighs the bad."
And as she remembers the man who left her life too soon, McCarty said she wants others to cherish every moment with the people they love.
"I just want everyone to think about always give that last hug, and always saying I love you, no matter what greviences or issues there may be," said Amanda. "Luckily I was able to do that with my dad, but you just never know what could happen next."
"Those moments of hugs and 'I love you's' are more worth it than anything," she added.
If you're interested in learning more about 'Paws With a Cause,' or getting involved to be a puppy raiser yourself, just head to their website.
"It's just been a crazy ride, and I feel like now is kind of the close of the chapter of my dad's story," McCarty said.
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