He’s gone but not forgotten.

In 2012, Spiro Vganges’ life changed forever. That was when he and his family adopted a shelter dog named Lex. And through the ups and downs in life in the years that followed, Lex remained Vganges’ faithful companion.

“He was always by my side,” Vganges told The Dodo. “He was the most amazing, loving, sweetest animal I’d ever met.”

And Vganges wasn’t alone in that opinion.

About seven years after adopting Lex, a new dog joined their pack — a younger, more rambunctious pup named Vaughn.

“Vaughn would always instigate some form of play with Lex. And Lex, being an older dog, would do his best,” Vganges said. “They definitely had that older dog and younger dog dynamic.”

As Vaughn got older and Lex settled more firmly into her golden years, the pair grew closer, seeming to always prefer resting by one another’s side.

But sadly, their sweet friendship couldn’t last forever.

Last month, after a lifetime of love and affection, Lex passed away.

Vaughn was allowed to see Lex one last time to say his farewells, which seemed to bring him some measure of comfort and understanding. But a sad fact nevertheless remained.

His best friend was suddenly just a memory.

To remember Lex, Vganges decided to make a memorial of sorts to share with his kids — a shadowbox containing Lex’s paw print and fur, his ashes, and a couple of cherished photos.

He placed the memorial on a piano in the living room, not realizing at the time how meaningful it would be for Vaughn, too.

A few moments after placing the memorial on the piano, Vaughn walked in and noticed it immediately.

“He got close to it, and then I started talking to him. I said, ‘Hey, do you see Lex?’ And then his ears went up,” Vganges said. “He moved in as close as he could and started getting excited.”

Since that first night, Vaughn has made daily visits to Lex’s memorial, seemingly to reconnect his senses to the old dog who still lives on vividly in his heart.

“It really exemplifies the bond he had with Lex,” Vganges said.

Those daily visits to Lex’s memorial, the chance to commune with his spirit, appear to have helped Vaughn cope with his friend’s sudden absence. And seeing the love reflected in his eyes has helped Vganges and his family, too.

“We were lucky to have Lex,” Vganges said. “And we’re lucky to have Vaughn.”