Man creates moving tribute video for his dog

OREGON (WTXF) --When Oregon-based photographer Ben Moon's best friend Denali passed away, Moon was faced with the challenge of finding a way to honor his buddy of 14 years.

"There's no easy way to say goodbye to a friend, especially when they've supported you through your darkest times," Moon wrote.

Denali was Moon's dog and best friend. Moon rescued Denali when he was only 8-weeks old. He decided to celebrate Denali's life by creating a touching 7 minute video that pays tribute to the years Moon shared with his friend.

The video is told through the dog's perspective, with narration from Denali:

"I'm pretty sure Ben knows I'm dying. I'm not sure if it's the cancer or something else, but he's been taking me to all the places we used to go and checking on me a lot."

The tribute then takes the viewer through a mix old photos and footage of both Denali's early years and his final months with Moon.

"The other day he asked me to let him know when I was ready to go," the dog's voiceover says. "He said he didn't want me to suffer."

During Moon and Denali's friendship, both had battled with cancer. Moon overcame his battle in 2004, with his pup looking out for him the entire time. The photographer said that if anyone tried to take the canine out of the room, he would bite in protest.

"Denali never left my side during that intense year, and I was so grateful for his companionship," Moon Tweeted.

Unlike his owner, Denali did not win his battle when cancer struck him later in their friendship. The pup died about one week after Moon wrapped up filming his tribute in early January 2014.

"I asked Denali to please stick around for a month. He did that almost to the hour," Moon said in an interview with the Daily news. "I've lost friends, and it's been really hard, but when I lost Denali, I cried for a month straight."

Over the course of 14 years, the pair were inseparable – they went on hikes, took trips across the West Coast and enjoyed the beach together.

Moon says on his final night with his best friend, Denali passed away peacefully.

"He didn't want to go anywhere and just looked at me. I knew it was time," Moon said. "He just laid on my chest all night. I just said, ‘thank you.' It was the saddest, hardest thing I've ever done."

According to reports, the film won two awards at premiere at 5Point Film Festival in Colorado