For nearly 13 years, Daniel Esparza and his dog Sam were inseparable. The loyal Labrador was more than just a pet — she was his constant companion, shadowing him through life’s ups and downs.
“She was my companion for almost 13 years,” Esparza told The Dodo. “She was a Labrador — very cute and intelligent.”
But recently, Sam’s long, love-filled life came to a peaceful end. Age-related brain issues took their toll, and she quietly passed away in her sleep.
“We were supposed to have one last trip to the beach for vacation,” Esparza said. “But her health didn’t let us make it.”
That final beach day never came — at least, not in real life. But Esparza, a professional in virtual reality technology, had a way to make it happen.
Before Sam passed, Esparza had, on a whim, used his VR tools to create a 3D scan of her while she was resting. After her death, he used that scan to build a virtual beach — the one they never got to visit — and placed Sam in it.
Now, whenever he misses her, Esparza can step into that digital world and sit beside his dog once again, waves crashing gently in the background.
“It’s like a window to the past,” he said. “It makes me happy to know I can remember her even when I grow older and my memory fades. I know she’ll always be in my heart — and now also in these memories.”
Though nothing can truly replace the real thing, Esparza’s virtual tribute to Sam is a touching reminder of how powerful the bond between a person and their pet can be — and how love, when paired with creativity, can transcend even loss.
