Jimmy Fallon is grieving the loss of Gary, the English cream golden retriever who grew up beside his family for more than 13 years. He shared the news in a plainspoken Instagram tribute that captured how a pet can shape a home—and how their absence can echo.
“The house is so quiet. The quiet is so loud,” he wrote, in a message recapped by Men’s Journal and Entertainment Weekly.
More Than A Pet, Part Of The Family
Fallon called Gary “our first baby,” then stacked up the roles she played—“a therapist, a pillow, a big sister… and a rebel”—a portrait of the everyday support dogs give their people, I Love My Dog So Much reports. He described her rituals with comic precision: leaping into the pool right after being shampooed, doing “laps,” then rolling in the grass with “bunny kicks.” Those moments, he said, “meant summer to me.”
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Danielle Marie Carolan, License: CC BY 3.0
Fallon announced Gary’s death after 13 and a half years.
How Gary Entered The Picture
Gary first appeared in a bit on Fallon’s late-night set—dressed in a tiny suit and jokingly introduced as “Gary Frick Jr.” He and his wife, producer Nancy Juvonen, brought her home soon after, during a period when they were hoping to start a family, reports Entertainment Weekly.
Years later, Fallon summed up the bond simply: “It’s companionship… It’s unconditional love,” Men’s Journal reports.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Anthony Quintano, License: CC BY 2.0
The Fallon house has been quiet without Gary.
The Silence She Left Behind
Gary’s presence threaded through family milestones—the “last name” on birthday cards, a constant beside their daughters, Franny and Winnie—memories Fallon thanked her for in his post.
“Goodnight, Gary,” he wrote.
The line landed because it felt like a final cue, a sign-off after years of guest cameos and home-movie moments[.](https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/jimmy-fallon-announces-death-of-beloved-dog-our-first-baby)
A Public Outpouring, A Private Loss
Condolences poured in. “I am so sorry to you and your family,” wrote actor Chrissy Metz, joined by Andy Cohen and Paris Hilton, among others. The most telling details remained small and domestic: a dog who leaned into anyone who scratched her, who smiled “even when she slept,” and who taught a TV host what quiet feels like when a best friend is gone.
The home is softer now. Stories are doing slow work, filling silence with laughter “amongst the sniffles.”
For many readers who have mourned a pet, the post reads like a shared diary page. Gratitude, then goodbye. And the love that stays put even when the paws are gone.
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