Hello there!
Before we continue, let’s get the official description out of the way. You know, the one that I hope a literary agent or book publisher randomly stumbles upon while internet surfing:
Christopher Toffolo (1985-) was born in Lynbrook, New York. For over a decade, Christopher has taught English and Technology in New York City Public Schools. During this time, he obtained a grant to attend Syracuse University and graduated with a Master's degree in Information Science and Library Services. Christopher left NYC Public Schools and became a school librarian in his home district. In 2020, Christopher published his first children's book, "Mr. Ace and the Rainbow Bridge," after a real life experience adopting a dog. Christopher continues to teach and write, and he looks forward to publishing more books in the future.
Phew. Now that the hypothetical agents and publishers left, it’s just us: the writer and the reader. Here’s something important to know about me: as a kid, I hated reading. Whether it was because of a learning disability or an over-active interest in The Legend of Zelda, reading felt painful. Without telling a very, very long story, my relationship with reading changed as I grew. We became such good friends that I even wanted to write my own stories, just like the books I grew to enjoy. While my love increased, I never forgot how it felt to dislike reading, so with everything I write, I try to write from that persepctive. I try to write books that will engage all, even the ones who struggle with it the most.
Reader, I am not sure how you stumbled upon this site, but I’m really glad and grateful that you did. It honestly means the world that you took some time out of your day for me.
The Story Behind Mr. Ace and the Rainbow Bridge
Mr. Ace’s story started long before he ever met us. From what we know, he lived somewhere between ten and twelve years in South Carolina before being surrendered, along with his sister, to a shelter. Based on his scars, hairless patches, and teeth (or lack thereof), we believe Ace was used as some sort of bait dog in fighting circles. We do not know what happened to his sister, but Ace made it all the way up to Ruff House Rescue in New York.
Ruff House Rescue has, for the last decade, pulled dogs from high kill shelters and searches for their forever homes. In their care, Ace became a favorite amongst the volunteer staff at the kennel. Everyone there would give him extra treats and express how he was such a good boy. However, being a senior dog and a pit bull can work against a you. Not to mention, Ace had skin and allergy issues as well.
In June of 2018, Megan and I had just moved in together, and we were looking to try and foster a dog. Fostering is when you take a dog into your home, care for them, and help them get adopted. Megan had seen a posting in January of the same year about Ace on Ruff House’s Instagram. When we were all moved in, she set up a meeting, so we could meet him. I wasn’t too keen on taking care of an older dog, but I trusted Megan, and we went for it. We quickly learned that taking care of a dog is a life changing decision and a huge responsibility, but once we let him in, we were hooked. We continued taking care of his skin and allergies, and Ace seemed very appreciative to be in a home.
As a foster parent, it’s understood that you are not the final destination for a dog. However, every time the conversation came up about finding Ace another home, Megan and I would become sad. We knew that we would eventually fail as foster parents and adopt him. We just needed to figure out his allergies and medical issues.
Across the six months we had him, Ace was loved. We’d play with him, take him on long walks, and drive him all over Long Island to specialized veterinarians. We desperately wanted to figure out what was wrong with him. Unfortunately, in December of 2018, Ace became very sick, and Meg and I had to make one of the most difficult decisions of our lives. The time had come for us to say goodbye, but just before he went, we officially adopted Ace. He left our world apart of our family, but he was part of our family from the moment we met him.
Losing a pet (or anyone) is extremely difficult. Anyone who has gone through it knows this. To cope with his loss, Megan and I started to volunteer with Ruff House Rescue (we still do), and I took to writing (as I always do). This ultimately led to the creation of my first book, Mr. Ace and the Rainbow Bridge. It had always been a dream of mine to write a book, and the whole experience with Ace inspired me. When we first took him in, I could never have predicted all of this to happen. However, our lives are better because of him. I thought we were changing his life; Ace was, in fact, changing ours.
Thank you, Ace. We will see each other again.