Trouper, a beloved Great Pyrenees rescue, therapy dog and campus celebrity at UC Berkeley, died last Thursday at the age of 11.
Trouper had accrued his own fan club, received hundreds of applications to walk him around campus and helped raise thousands for animal welfare. He died peacefully in his sleep last week, as announced in a June 25 Instagram post by @trouperatcal, the account of the Trouper Fan Club.
Students, alumni and fans of Trouper have voiced their support in the wake of his passing. Many have shared their stories and fond memories with the loving, fluffy campus celebrity.
“He is like a little kid. He likes to splash in the water, so he’ll go into Strawberry Creek and … play around for a bit,” said senior Erin Rogers, reflecting on a memorable walk she had with Trouper. “We would sometimes share fries from (The Golden Bear Café).”
Rogers, UC Berkeley alumna Lily Rzonca and a small group of students, along with Trouper’s owners, started the Trouper Fan Club in January 2024. Walks would start at Brown’s and end at Sproul Plaza.
In the five years since his introduction to the community, the Great Pyrenees has been loved by thousands on campus and on social media. Before then, Trouper was adopted at the Sierra Pacific Great Pyrenees Club near Sacramento.
Morry Rao Hermón and Sandhya Rao Hermón, Trouper’s owners, adopted him during the COVID-19 lockdown. Sandhya Rao Hermón said it was “wonderful” for the family to have company, and they often walked through the UC Berkeley campus during the pandemic.
“Trouper loved campus,” Sandhya Rao Hermón said, especially the creeks in Tilden Regional Park and Strawberry Creek that run through campus.
The pair were both UC Berkeley employees at the time. When Morry Rao Hermón returned to in-person work on campus, he said Trouper grew attached, and he ended up taking him along to work. When he did, students asked if they could walk his dog.
Rogers said Trouper was a common thread across so many students who were, above all, aligned in their love for his gentle, playful personality — and the chance to walk him.
“There’s so many students of all different backgrounds, and they’re all brought together by this dog,” Rogers said. “From bringing together all of these students, you can see the mental load lift itself from your shoulders.”
Many likened Trouper to a polar bear due to his sheer size and characteristic, gleaming white fur. Former fan club members called him gentle, patient and loving.
Trouper’s gentle demeanor served as a serene retreat for students, especially amid UC Berkeley’s often demanding academic environment.
“Berkeley can be a tough environment. It’s easy to be walking on campus and be stressed, or be in your head about a midterm or something,” said senior Genevieve Stubblefield. “I think it was a nice break and levity and comfort to have an animal like that.”
Senior Lily Salazar, who helped manage the fan club’s Instagram account, said she’s heard many students call Trouper their good luck charm.
“People will constantly come up to me and tell me their story or say, ‘I’m studying for this midterm, and I’ve been really stressed, and I’m so happy to see Trouper,’” Salazar said.
Rogers, Salazar and Trouper’s owners highlighted Trouper’s birthday parties on the Glade, fundraising for Berkeley Humane and events such as local school visits that solidified Trouper’s impact on the Berkeley community.
“We did a really awesome field trip to one of the local middle schools … (Students) got to ask him questions, they were petting him,” Salazar said. “We got to be with the local Berkeley community outside of UC Berkeley.”
The club also sold tote bags, mugs, pins and other Trouper-themed merch on Sproul Plaza to fundraise for Berkeley Humane; Morry Rao Hermón said the group had raised about $2,000 and was able to hand deliver the first check for $1,000 to the shelter.
Trouper also provided a social outlet through which to bond with other students.
“I think anyone who has walked Trouper can agree that his presence is an excellent conversation starter. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people from just saying hi on his walks,” said senior Ellie Kim, who has been a fan of the Great Pyrenees since her freshman year, in an email. “He’s been a familiar face to many, which is always comforting in such a big school.”
The fan club’s Instagram asked followers to donate to Berkeley Humane to support shelter animals such as Trouper “who need a forever home.”
Trouper is survived by the Rao Hermón family, their two cats, Squeak and Sky and all the lives he touched at UC Berkeley.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.dailycal.org ’
