When her grandmother’s dog passed away suddenly, 7-year-old Emma Kendrigan decided to write the departed Tessie a letter, via Santa Claus.

“She felt like the North Pole was probably closer to heaven and that Santa could get it from there,” said Emma’s grandmother, Kathy Moore.

A Mattapoisett second grader, Emma had known the 15-year-old bichon since was a baby, and they were constant companions when she visited her “nana” in Marion. So, it was no surprise that Emma took the news of the dog’s death hard.

“Emma had been so upset and sobbing. We didn’t get to say goodbye to her. It happened so fast. There was no closure,” Moore said.

Emma reasoned that since the post office had a mailbox set up during Christmas to send letters to St. Nick, that it could also get her letter to the North Pole. So, she wrote a letter, decorated the envelope and included some dog treats, with the hopes that they would make it to doggie heaven.

Moore said she wasn’t sure if the post office would be able to help out, so she told Rich LeGrow, the Marion postal worker on duty, her box number in case the letter was returned.

“She popped up into my window…she was a very intelligent little girl,” said LeGrow, who had a few tricks up his sleeve and friends who wanted to help.

Two days later Moore was surprised to find a package in her P.O. box from Tessie. Apparently, the letter had, with LeGrow’s help, arrived in the right destination.

“I was just kind of surprised and grateful,” Moore said.

The package, in a bag printed with a paw pattern, had a pet pin with angel wings and a letter from Tessie that said, “I am playing here with the other doggies – and it is fun! Whenever you think of me, I will be thinking of you.”

The letter was heartening to the little girl. A few days later she told her grandmother, “It’s so nice to know that I was just thinking of Tess and she’s thinking of me.”

“It really impacted her, and she feels so much better,” said Moore, who is grateful to LeGrow for going beyond the rain, snow, sleet and hail to comfort her grieving granddaughter.

Now, Emma just hopes one day soon she’ll have another bichon to cuddle.