“He is kind of a pest at times, but he is like the firstborn you know. You just love him unconditionally.” Klay Thompson shared a special bond with his dog, Rocco. After all, they had been together through thick and thin ever since the Mavs star adopted him, back during his rookie season in 2012. Rocco was like a family member in the Thompson household. So, naturally, Klay was heartbroken when the beloved English Bulldog passed away last weekend at the age of thirteen.

Yes, Klay’s father, Mychal broke the tragic news this Wednesday on an ESPN radio show, “As Mase and Ireland always say, when someone dear has departed, ‘Hail fellow well met.’ We had to put Rocco, Klay’s dog, down over the weekend. It was time.” Meanwhile, Klay remained tight lipped, likely processing Rocco’s unfortunate passing. But a couple of days after Mychal made the news public, the Splash Brother finally broke silence with an emotional post on Instagram.

He took a trip down memory lane, sharing several heartwarming pictures of himself with Rocco over the years. Along with the photo dump was an emotional message, “I’m gonna miss Rocco a lot, 13 glorious years with my boy. I know he’s in doggy heaven poppin somebody’s ball. A great dynasty dog he was. Thank you for all the sweet messages! All dogs go to Heaven!”

Well, Rocco was the first pet Klay ever owned and the sharpshooter called him a “loyal steed.” Sure enough, the four-time champ’s fans felt his pain and Stephen Curry’s sister, Sydel, also sent her condolences on Klay’s IG post. She commented a smiling angel emoji along with little dog paws in honor of Rocco. Even though Rocco was just Klay’s pet, he held a special place in the hearts of everyone in the Bay Area.

Rocco was a Bay Area celebrity as he and Klay Thompson were inseparable

With Klay spending majority of his career in Golden State, Rocco was kind of a big deal in the Bay Area. “Rocco is actually a pretty famous dog.” Klay told GQ Sports. Yes, the English Bulldog had a following of over 62K on Instagram, where the former Warriors star frequently shared glimpses of his amazing life. Well, Klay and Rocco were basically inseparable. Be it workout sessions, a day at the lake, or a private boat ride, Sir Rocco Von Thompson always accompanied the sharpshooter.

“We have great days up at the Bay. We have our little parks we go to. Me and Rocco explore all over the Bay, whether its Oakland Hills, Marin County, the Presidio. I got all my spots up there. We got a little routine.” Klay remarked, detailing his wholesome routine with Rocco. That’s why everyone in the Bay Area also knew of Rocco, and are mourning his passing. As Mychal put it, “We were all sad, but Rocco had a great, long life.”

Even though the beloved dog is gone, Klay confirmed, “Rocco, you’ll forever hold a special place in my heart buddy.” RIP Rocco.