Tucker Budzyn, the beloved viral golden retriever, has died following complications from cancer. He was 8 years old.

His owner, influencer Courtney Budzyn, announced the news in a tearful video on Saturday, Sept. 5, sharing that Tucker died on Wednesday, Sept. 2 — less than a week after she revealed his lymphoma diagnosis.

“I thought that was the last sad video I was gonna make, but it’s not … Tucker passed away Wednesday, unexpectedly,” Budzyn said while clutching a box that seemingly contained the dog’s ashes.

Budzyn went on to say that Tucker seemed to be doing “really well” with his cancer treatment — and even seemed as though he was heading toward remission — but that she recently learned he had developed lymphoma in his intestine.

“[The treatment] left a hole where cancer was, and he got an infection that seemed to hit him overnight,” she explained.

Budzyn said she rushed Tucker to the vet that morning, where he received “antibiotics and fluid,” but his condition continued to worsen.

“I want you to know I tried to do everything I could. I did everything,” she said as tears filled her eyes.

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“His temperature kept rising, and there was nothing — nothing was changing it. We had to let him go,” she said. “Tucker, I love you so much.”

“There’s nothing in this world that I wouldn’t have done for him. He was literally part of me. He was part of my soul. It feels like I lost a body part,” she added.

Tucker Budzyn.tuckerbudzyn/Instagram
Budzyn apologized to all of Tucker’s fans, noting that she knows they are feeling the loss as well.

“I’m so sorry, guys. I know he was yours, too,” she said, before adding that while she initially was planning to simply post a tribute photo of Tucker, she ultimately decided she owed his fans the full story.

“Cause he’s yours, too,” she explained.

Budzyn also said she hadn’t been sure when to share the news.

Tucker with his owner, Courtney Budzyn.tuckerbudzyn/Instagram
“I knew that I couldn’t come on here and not be broken … but I couldn’t wait to tell you any longer because I keep getting messages, saying, ‘Please, Tucker, get well soon.’ It’s eating me alive,” she said, her voice breaking.

The influencer shared that Tucker had “the best time of his life” in the three weeks before his death.

“We went to the park several times, and he peed on every single tree he could. He went swimming a couple times — and his first jump in the pool both times were so powerful and strong. He got to wrestle with [his son] Todd in the backyard. He got to rub in the grass and feel the breeze on his fur. He got to eat chicken every single morning and night,” she recalled.

“He literally saved my life,” she continued. “And I don’t expect you to understand. Because I never showed how bad things got on my end. But he saw every part of it, and he attached himself to me.”

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“I don’t know how to live, but I have to. He didn’t lie by my side for all those years just for me to give up,” she said.

Budzyn concluded her video by thanking every one of her followers and said she feels she owes it to Tucker “to move forward and to heal.”

Budzyn initially shared that Tucker had been diagnosed with cancer in a TikTok video posted on Aug. 30.

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In the announcement, Budzyn shared that the pup had started cancer treatment and was considered to be in “partial remission” after a single week. She said that, given his treatment plan, Tucker could live somewhere between one and three more years.

Budzyn adopted Tucker in 2018 and soon began sharing photos and videos of the dog. He eventually grew a massive international following across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. Their story together is also the subject of the upcoming picture book Of All the Sniffs I Love the Most, which is set to be released in November.