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Russell Wilson shared somber news following the end of his season: one of his dogs has died. On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback announced that his dog Prince, whom he had since his rookie season with the Seattle Seahawks, died at age 12.
The Great Dane had overcome cancer twice, Wilson said in an Instagram post.
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“'Prince' 12 years ago you came into my life. I got you my rookie year & you have been a blessing to our family with so many memories, hugs and kisses from our 4 kids and us," he wrote.
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"You will forever be a part of us. Today was a hard day. But you overcame cancer 2x and lived 12 years when most live 6. Heaven got a good one! Forever the Prince of Peace. Love you."
His wife, R&B star Ciara, also paid tribute in her own post.
"Forever with us. Forever in our hearts. Forever Thankful for the amazing memories you gave us. We will miss you so much and we will always love you Prince!" she wrote.
Russell WIlson's advocacy for pets and domestic violence survivors
Beyond his accomplishments as one of the most successful quarterbacks in, Russell WIlson is also a prominent philanthropist. He has partnered with numerous charities and nonprofit organizations to support meaningful causes.
In 2019, Wilson collaborated with the Banfield Foundation on the Safer Together initiative, which aimed to raise awareness about domestic violence and its impact on both people and pets. Speaking to PEOPLE at the time, Wilson said:
“The reality is about half of domestic violence victims stay in abusive situations because they fear about the safety of their pet. Only 10 percent of domestic violence shelter allow pets. We want to help people through tough situations, to make sure they feel safe and can keep their family together.”
In a 2019 interview with PEOPLE, Russell WIlson reflected on the close bond he and Ciara shared with their dogs:
“The great Danes just want to lay on your lap all the time. Ciara and I will be trying to have a date night, watching a movie, and all of the sudden there’s three great Danes laying across our laps.”
The couple still has two Great Danes, Naomi and Hero, as well as a Rhodesian ridgeback named Bronco.
