Neil Patrick Harris, the 51-year-old Emmy winner, recently shared the heartbreaking news that one of their beloved family dogs, Ella, passed away in a terrible accident while they were away from home. Ella, a four-year-old golden retriever, joined Harris and his husband David Burtka’s family on Christmas Day in 2020, bringing joy to their twin children, Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, who are both 13 years old.
In a heartfelt newsletter for Wondercade, Harris revealed the devastating incident that took Ella’s life. During their vacation in New Hampshire while the children were at summer camp, they entrusted Ella and their three other dogs to their close friend, Michael. However, Harris received a tragic phone call from Michael, delivering the devastating news, “Ella is dead.”
According to Michael, he found Ella motionless in the front yard, with a tree branch tangled around her neck. In an attempt to free herself, she ended up strangling herself with the branch. Harris expressed his disbelief and sorrow, emphasizing that Ella was young, full of life, and always smiling. He described the accident as a “freak accident” and a “self-strangulation by a felled tree branch.” Harris admitted that he had never heard of anything like it before.
The loss of Ella was a tremendous shock to Harris and his family. They had experienced the deaths of older dogs in the past, but Ella’s youth and vitality made her passing particularly devastating. Harris acknowledged that sometimes terrible things simply happen, and now they must process Ella’s death in the most authentic and effective way possible.
Although grieving, Harris made a decision not to share Ella’s death on social media at this time. He expressed his lack of interest in receiving hurtful and uninformed comments that such a public announcement would inevitably attract. Instead, he chose to reach out to close friends and family who had spent time with Ella to share the heartbreaking news. Harris acknowledged that typing about Ella provided some solace and relief during this difficult time.
Neil Patrick Harris’s heartfelt tribute to Ella, their beloved family dog, serves as a reminder of the preciousness of life and the unexpected twists and turns that can occur along the way. It is a testament to the love and connection that humans have with their pets and the importance of cherishing every moment spent together.
