After heartbreaking suicide note, South County woman's dog is adopted

kmov4 ^ | October 4, 2018 | Dan Greenwald, Digital Content Producer Russell Kinsaul, Reporter

[Morgana]

AFFTON, Mo. (KMOV.com) - A happy ending to an otherwise tragic story was announced Thursday, as the dog of the woman found dead inside her Affton apartment was adopted.

Police said they found Crystal Chrisp, 46, dead inside a burned out South County apartment Wednesday. Police ruled her death a suicide.

"She was my friend and I'm going to miss her. My heart is really aching right now for her," said Sharon Hyster-Harris.

Hyster-Harris said Chrisp had been a Metro bus driver for 18-years and that she’d beaten breast cancer several years ago but was facing another battle with cancer.

"She was dealing with it a few years back and it went into remission. A few months ago it came back. I think she just decided she couldn't deal with it anymore," said Hyster-Chrisp.

What struck many was Chrisp’s compassion for her dog, named “Shell.” Before her death, Chrisp wanted to make sure found a home with a new owner to take care of her.

Friends say Crystal never had children and always thought of her pets like her children.

[Morgana]

The phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Line is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

[Zhang Fei]

[Friends say Crystal never had children and always thought of her pets like her children.]

---

Unfortunately, pets are not your children in the sense that they will never be able to look after you when you are old and feeble, or even when you are sick. Children are more of a handful than pets, but the payoff is also potentially far superior.

[Norski]

“Police said they found Crystal Chrisp, 46, dead inside a burned out South County apartment Wednesday. Police ruled her death a suicide.”

+++++++++++++

“Crystal Chrisp”

“Dead in a burnt apartment”

“Suicide”

[Mercat]

I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer (just a mild case) and my two children are both saying they’ll move home. Haha.

[Jonty30]

You’re right that children are far more important than pets. However, for some because of their inability to have bonds with people, which is not always their fault, pets are the only thing they can bond with.

[Zhang Fei]

[I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer (just a mild case) and my two children are both saying they’ll move home. Haha.]

---

Sorry to hear about the first part, but heart-warming to learn about the second.

[Innovative]

May she rest in peace.

Good, that her dog was adopted, and found a new loving home.

[dragnet2]

Unfortunately, pets are not your children in the sense that they will never be able to look after you when you are old and feeble

Uh huh..

""Hero dog saves owner, 86, from robber""

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-43742889

There are boatloads of stories like this.

[Zhang Fei]

[Uh huh..

“”Hero dog saves owner, 86, from robber””

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-43742889

There are boatloads of stories like this.]

---

Now if you could only teach the dog to make grits and eggs ...

[McGavin999]

Cancer is incredibly hard to fight, fighting it alone would be horrendous. Good woman, made sure her dog was taken care of.

I know a woman who was losing her battle with cancer, she managed to place all her animals except the one she loved the most. She left him inside and went out back and shot herself. That poor dog went insane with grief and had to be put down. I’ll never understand why she didn’t place him first. But I can’t even imagine what her battle was like. She was alone, she had friends, but that’s not enough

[dragnet2]

Now if you could only teach the dog to make grits and eggs

You're supposed to train your wife to do that.

[digger48]

My mutt just yacked up something that kinda looks like it could have been grits and eggs

[Secret Agent Man]

And in that sense, it is more selfless to look after pets,because you aren’t doing it for any kind of future payback.

[Does so]

Children are more of a handful than pets, but the payoff is also potentially far superior.

IDK. My dachshunds were funny companions, and I took them everywhere in my VW camper.

Watching aquarium fish can be very relaxing.

Sad she took her life, especially as her dog had no one else in its lifespan, while she may have had three dogs.

[T-Bone Texan]

Let’s be frank: Pets won’t bring you soup when you are sick, or drive you to the doctor, or put warm-from-the-dryer laundry on you when you are in bed to make you all warm and cozy on a cold morning.

Pets can’t go to the pharmacy for you.

I could go on.

[dragnet2]

Dogs don’t drive? No kidding? Thanks for the tip.