I cried my eyes out again last night before I fell asleep. I'm grateful to have known Ashley. In January of this year I saved her life. Her burrow collapsed after a winter rain storm sending asphalt from the nearby fence post tumbling into the opening of her burrow along with clomps of sod. It was packed shut. She must have been trapped 3 days without food or water or sunlight. I dug out the debris and pulled the rocks of asphalt put. As I did so I heard Ashley hissing behind the debris. She was right there, probably trying desperately and fruitlessly to dig her way out. She could not wait to get out but she was so weak. She staggered to the opening of the hole with barely any strength.

After this incident we became friends! I brought her romaine the next day when I went to see how she was. This Tortoise was very shy and reclusive prior to the cave in rescue but everything changed after it. We became good friends. I brought her a snack a couple times a week. I would run 3 miles to see her. Or ride my bike or even drive when I was short on time. She let me sit there and watch her. I have some good memories! Ashley got more and more comfortable with me. She was so excited to see me. She loved strawberry slices! She would walk over to me. http://imgur.com/a/XWfv86A

I'm going to miss her.