Lewis Hamilton sends emotional message to late pet Roscoe's caretaker: "She loved him as if he was hers"

Lewis Hamilton has shared a heartwarming message for the caretaker of his late pet dog Roscoe. The 12-year-old French bulldog died on Sunday, September 28, in the arms of the seven-time F1 champion.

Roscoe suffered a health scare earlier last week after catching pneumonia for the second time this year. Hamilton brought him to the hospital, with the bulldog struggling to breathe. While undergoing treatment under sedation, Roscoe's heart stopped beating.

Fortunately, the doctors acted in time to bring his heartbeat back, but he slipped into a coma. After four days of Roscoe being on life support, Lewis Hamilton had to make the "hardest decision" of his life and let his beloved pet be put to sleep. He shared the saddening news on Monday, and a day later, shared a message of gratitude for Roscoe's caretaker, Kirstin McMillan, who had cared for him and Hamilton's other late bulldog, Coco.

"I want you take time to uplift my friend Kirstin," the Ferrari driver wrote in an Instagram story. "She trained both Roscoe and Coco and treated them like family. She helped look after their health, and it is really through her that Roscoe lived so long. While I was travelling, she would take care of him and loved him as if he was hers. She was there everyday, all day. Even with a family and other dogs to look after, she never missed a day."

Elaborating on the heartbreaking decision to let Roscoe go, Hamilton added:

"We stood together when letting Roscoe go. I am so grateful to have had her in my life and Roscoe's life. There is nobody like you Kirstin. Thank you."

A snapshot of Lewis Hamilton's Instagram story (@lewishamilton)

Lewis Hamilton adopted both Roscoe and Coco in 2013. The breeders had informed the then-Mercedes driver that Coco's life would be limited due to problems at birth. She died of a suspected heart attack in 2020.

A day before Roscoe's death, his caretaker had posted a lengthy and emotional message with her followers via two Instagram stories. She expressed how "astonishing" it felt to see the "overwhelming" love and support Roscoe was receiving, and how the whole health scare was "unexpected and felt sudden".

What F1's governing body FIA said after Lewis Hamilton's pet Roscoe died

Lewis Hamilton with F1 CEO Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem at the F1 Grand Prix of Italy - Source: Getty

F1's governing body, the FIA, shared its condolences to Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time champion announced Roscoe's passing on Monday. Roscoe was a beloved figure in the F1 paddock and was often seen in the Mercedes motorhome when Hamilton drove for the team.

The Briton's announcement message about Roscoe's death on X read:

"Lost my best friend last night. Thank you all for the love you’ve shown him over the years. Roscoe forever."

The FIA responded to that post, writing:

"The FIA family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Roscoe. Our thoughts are with you Lewis.”

The FIA's message was among many tributes from the motorsport world, including those of F1 drivers and teams mourning Roscoe.

About the author

Yash is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from one of India's top B-schools. With over 1.5 years of experience covering Formula 1 and a short stint covering the WNBA, he brings passionate authenticity to his writing.

Yash's first brush with the motorsport world was accidental. While flipping TV channels, he came across an episode of F1TV's 'Inside Tracks'. That was enough to engross him and make him dive head-first into devotedly following the sport.

Surprisingly, he favors no particular driver or team. This helps him bring complete objectivity to his reporting, which begins with meticulous research from trusted sources across the internet.

When motorsport isn't on Yash's mind, he's either at the gym, out for a walk, or indulging in creative writing.

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Edited by Yash Kotak