Heidi

Heidi Lou Wednesday Bink Von BunBun
May 4, 2013 – March 6, 2023
Surrounded by her mom and Dad, husbun, Gomez, and with gentle music playing, Heidi binkied her famous energentic binky across the rainbow bridge on March 6, 2023. 
Greeting her with open arms were her older bunny sisters, Butter Cup and Dandelion, step-brother, Figaro, pupper Aunties, Daisey Mae, and Saidey Jane, her “Mampaw” Hank, Gepa “Meepaw”, her first- and very best bunny friend- Goldie Roche, and many many more family members, friends, and fur cousins. 
She leaves behind so many who loved her and miss her dearly:  her husbun of 5 and a half years, Gomez, her mom and dad, Gretchen & Rick DeOrio, her mamaw and uncle mampaw, Beth Bodamer & Greg Gardner, her great mamaw, Ge, her aunt Chelsea and cousin Apollonia, her Grammy Sheri, Sheri DeOrio, her first “boyfriend” Pat the stuffed bunny, and her soon-to-be sister wife, Betty White. She is also survived by so many amazing aunts, uncles, and friends. 
Heidi was born in 2013 to a family who struggled after being dumped in Bridgeville, PA. A man named Daniel found Heidi and her family at his business, where they were seeking shelter. Daniel and his daughter, Alexi, reached out to her AMAZING aunt, Jill Fisherkeller, who took in Heidi, her sister Alexi, brothers Daniel and Johnny, and more of their family. Heidi decided she was ready to find someone who was looking for a furever home, and she briefly moved into her residence at Animal Friends. On March 8, 2014, a girl and her mom came into a bun run and decided to meet Heidi. The girl always loved bunnies, and was looking to adopt a friend. Heidi knew, when she saw the girl, that this was her new mommy.
What Heidi didn't know is that her great great Grandma O'Brien passed away days before, and that she was bringing so much joy to the girl's broken heart. She made her new mommy's life so much better, giving kisses, cuddling, flopping, binkying, and being there through so many losses, triumphs, trips, moves, and her mom and dad getting married.  She worked as a part time maid, specializing in bedding, from 2014-2023. In 2014, she became a per-diem Nurse for her mom and future husband, Gomez. She also worked throughout her life as a freelance demo crew member for many Small Pet Select homes.
In 2016, she met her husband, Gomez, (retired KGB agent, Major Igor Puffington III) and they dated until 2017, when they decided to get married. They had a wonderful marriage full of tom foolery, cuddling, and taking care of each other. When one was sick, the other cared for them. Gomez stayed by her side until the very end, caring for her the way they always did for each other. 
Heidi loved everyone she met. She gave kisses, let you pet her and kiss her, but was spicy when you'd try to hold her and give her meds or trim her nails. Her sweet, gentle soul was also very sassy, and it was one of her best traits. She fought many illnesses and that sassy personality made her perservere no matter what. Her favorite music was classic rock (especially Pink Floyd), and piano music. Her favorite TV show was Property Brothers, and rarely did she miss an episode. She was a HUGE fan of Betsey Johnson, and even received a comment from Betsy after she shared her Midwest Bunfest glamorshots with Betsey Johnson gear! She had a very diverse palate, and her favorite dishes included banana, steel cut oats, pumpkin, and small pet select goodies. She was also an avid hay eater. Some of her favorite memories were her Aunt Becky's annual Hare Raisers Christmas party (where she met her bff, Goldie Roche), and Midwest Bunfest 2016, with her mom, aunt Donelle, and cousin Frida. During this trip, she committed the biggest bamboozle of all time- switching rooms with her mom and Aunt Donelle. No doors were open, yet Frida and Heidi switched rooms and woke up with the opposite mom. 
Heidi made my life worth living. She was there through so many life changes and ups and downs, and has helped me with my mental health, physical health, and the grief I've gone through. I don't know how I will be able to do this without her. Her sweet husbun will be given so much extra love, and her memory will live on. She made me a mommy, and I always called her my “first born”- I called her my baby no matter how old she was. I will miss her huge wet mouf boop kisses, chinning my glasses (and everything else) and funniness that gave me strength to get through every day. She changed my life and was the reason I went completely cruelty free, and rally for change and get involved with rabbit education. We are forever in debt to Suaz and Alyssa from Rabbit Wranglers, and Meg from Bunny Brigade. Suaz has spent many nights on the phone with me as I've cried and panicked, and nursed her back to health when she was extremely ill in 2017. We are so thankful for the love she received, the friends we've made, and everyone she touched. She loved you all so much, and I do too. 
And lastly, Heidi is forever grateful for her amazing care team: Dr. Wagner and Tracy, who have never, ever let us down, and have taken such amazing care of her (and us) over the years. She survived so many illnesses and injuries because of their care. 
On behalf of Heidi, Rick, and myself, thank you for all of your love and support. If you would like to honor her memory and also support and enrich the lives of so many rabbits, you can do so by donating to Rabbit Wranglers and/or Bunny Brigade. 
“Thank you for being my friend” Love, Heidi