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KUCHING, Aug 21: In a heart-wrenching announcement that has sent waves of sorrow through online communities, Cheems, the beloved Shiba Inu dog who captured the hearts of millions as a viral ‘doge’ meme sensation, passed away on Friday (Aug 18) at the age of 12 following a courageous battle with cancer.
Cheems’ owners shattered hearts with an emotional Instagram post on Saturday (Aug 19), leaving countless Internet users in a state of mourning over the loss of the cherished pooch.
According to the post, Cheems, who is also known as Balltze or Ball Ball, unfortunately, fell asleep during his last thoracentesis surgery and did not wake up. The owners had originally intended to arrange additional treatment for him, but unfortunately, it was too late.
“Don’t be sad, please remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world. A Shiba Inu with a round smiling face connecting you and me, he has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many of you, but now his mission has completed. I believe he is running freely in the sky and having a lot of delicious food with his new friends. He will always be inside my heart. I hope he can continue to bring joy to everyone in the online world, that’s my only humble request,” read a part of the owner’s post.
In the post, the owner also mentioned that the funds raised for the pooch’s treatment would be donated to local animal charities.
“The donation and brass pins money I have collected for the medical bills will be now donating to local animal charities. Thank you everyone, thank you, Balltze knows how much he was loved by all of you.”
In May of last year, it was revealed that Cheems had been experiencing symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, leading to a diagnosis of pancreatitis.
Adopted by a loving family in Hong Kong under the care of his owner, Kathy, Cheems first gained worldwide recognition in 2017 when a photograph of him went viral. He had a distinctive appearance because of his unique overbite, which caused his bottom teeth to stick out. This made him appear slightly goofy and adorable. Therefore, his pictures became widely shared as memes during the pandemic.
The name ‘Cheems’ is derived from the word ‘cheeseburger’ because his owners posted an Instagram photo describing how much their pooch enjoys cheeseburgers.
Furthermore, Cheems is widely recognised for two of his most iconic appearances: the ‘Bonk’ meme, in which he held a baseball bat in order to ‘Bonk’ people on the head, and the ‘Swole Doge vs Cheems’ meme.
According to KnowYourMeme, ‘memes featuring Cheems are usually based upon the character humorously misspelling various words, particularly by including extra M letters’.
The pooch first appeared on the Reddit page /r/dogelore in June 2019 and has been a popular meme ever since.
People took to social media to express their grief and share their favourite pictures and memes of Cheems. Users referred to him as a ‘legend’ and a ‘meme founder’, and many expressed gratitude for the joy and comfort his smiling face provided them, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cheems’ passing has elicited a variety of expressions, often encapsulated by ‘RIP.’
An Instagram user commented, “I was introduced to this legend through a meme trend. It’s hard to hear about his passing a few years later. He helped many people get through 2020 and so on. His meme trend will live on to honour his life and the joy he gave everyone through these memes. Sleep well king, you will be missed.”
Another commenter reflected, “Was Balltze a good boy? He was the best.”
One netizen wrote, “Rest in peace sweet boi. I’ll bonk forever in your honour.”
Amid the tributes, an individual fondly wrote, “His legacy will live on forever…thanks for everything ball ball.”
As condolences poured in, one user encapsulated the collective sentiment, stating, “Dear Ball Ball, dear Ball Ball’s parents, my heart goes out to you. I am saddened but also I know that Ball is the happiest dog to have you guys as parents. Please take care of your heart and I know it is the hardest time so reach out to us if you need friends to talk to.” — DayakDaily
