Surrounded by friends, family and fellow four-legged companions, Brixton, a beloved Bay Area therapy dog, spent the evening in Union Square in front of the Macy's Christmas tree. 

He was there to share his final goodbyes after his owner and handler, Linda Gordon, learned he had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.

Gordon said the outpouring of support reflects the role Brixton has played in San Francisco for more than a decade, offering comfort in hospitals, schools and community spaces since he began therapy work at just 8 months old.

"He is not just mine, he is part of the community," Gordon said. "And the love that he needs to exist, and the love that he shares with everybody, is all full circle. It is what we do."

Visitors stopped for photos and quiet moments, many bringing their own pets to greet Brixton as he rested on the pavement in front of the Christmas tree. Gordon said the nearly 13-year-old golden retriever seemed to recognize the outpouring of affection.

"He's had the most beatific smile on his face for the last two days while he is just embraced and showered in that beatific love," she said. "I just, I keep repeating, but he looks like an angel."

Over the course of his life, Brixton became a familiar presence in the city's therapy-dog community, known for his calm temperament and willingness to sit with patients, students and anyone who needed comfort.

"He's been doing it since he was 8 months old, and he's just shy of 13," Gordon said. "So that's a long time of touching people's lives. Just knowing how much good and love he's put out to this universe — It's a lot."

Among those who gathered was West Walker, a friend of Brixton's, who said the dog's impact extended far beyond the therapy spaces he visited, commenting on his great sense of fashion.

"Brixton has brought so much joy," Walker said. "And especially this week, where we lost Claude, and now we're losing Brixton, it makes me think about what a unique place San Francisco is — that we all can find such commonality in our mutual love and adoration for these animals that define what it means to be a San Franciscan… to stand out, to be lovable. So I think it's hitting us a little hard this week."

For Gordon, the loss is deeply personal. She has spent more than a decade at Brixton's side, supporting his work and watching him connect with countless people across the city.

When asked what lesson Brixton taught her, she paused.

"How to not take life so seriously, and how love can be shared so easily," she said.

A kind of love, Gordon said, that will not be forgotten.