When Amanda Garza moved to Fremont in 2020, she brought with her a companion who would become a neighborhood fixture.
Tilley, a border collie-cattle dog mix with a perpetual smile, wasn’t just Garza’s dog. She was a regular at Troll’s Knoll Park, a friend to neighbors, and eventually, the inspiration for a memorial that’s bringing the community together in unexpected ways.
Three months after Tilley’s death at age 15, a new trail winds through the park where she spent countless hours people-watching alongside Garza. Tilley’s Trail, marked by a sign featuring a rendering of the dog’s famously happy face, has become more than a tribute to one beloved pet. It’s also a quiet space for reflection, gratitude and healing.
“She kind of became part of my identity, which has been hard the past couple of months to figure out without her here,” Garza said. “But yeah, she was great.”
A Texas rescue
Tilley’s story began in a Texas dumpster, where she and her sibling were found as puppies. Garza adopted her at 20, while she was in college, and the two grew up together over the next 15 years.
“The companionship of a dog is something so special,” Garza said. “She kind of helped me through a lot of lows in my 20s – we all go through it in our 20s – and she was this anchor the entire time.”
After nearly a decade in Seattle, Garza settled in Fremont with her now-husband and Tilley, living just a street away from the iconic Fremont Troll. It didn’t take long for Tilley to make her mark on the neighborhood.
“People don’t know me or my name, but they knew Tilley,” Garza said. She made friends throughout the neighborhood, her open mouth giving the appearance of a constant smile that drew people in.
“That’s why people were drawn to her,” Garza said. “She looked like she was always smiling.”
Volunteering with a four-legged assistant
About three years ago, Garza started volunteering with Friends of Troll’s Knoll, the community group dedicated to transforming the area around the Fremont Troll into an active green space. She’s now the treasurer, working behind the scenes with founder and president Leo Griffin and other volunteers.
During summer months, when baby trees at the park need regular watering, Tilley would tag along on Garza’s volunteer shifts.
“I would water and I would bring Tilley with me,” Garza said. “She loved people-watching. People loved to see her, and she’d just look at them.”
Tilley’s personality was distinct. Not particularly cuddly but undeniably charming in her own way.
Building a trail and community
After Tilley’s death, Griffin offered to honor her memory at the park. The result was Tilley’s Trail, a small mulched path that winds through the space where Tilley spent so much time.
What happened next surprised even Garza. Friends and neighbors showed up for a work party to help create the trail, their presence offering comfort during loss.
“In that moment, I was like, ‘Oh, she did make an impact on people,’” Garza said. “She wasn’t just a dog.”
Looking back at photos from the work party, Garza sees evidence of something profound. “We came here alone, and when she left, she left me with a giant group of people that I have here. That was really meaningful to look back on.”
The sign itself features Tilley’s smiling face rendered from one of many portrait-style photos Garza has of her beloved companion.
A space for shared grief and gratitude
Tilley’s Trail has already begun touching people beyond those who knew the dog personally. A few weeks ago, Garza’s husband spotted something remarkable on Strava, the fitness tracking app: One of his coworkers, visiting Seattle for work and unfamiliar with Tilley’s story, had taken a photo of the trail sign during a walk and posted it.
“He doesn’t know anything about Tilley or the sign,” Garza said. “Something drew him to the sign to take a picture.”
That moment crystallized the trail’s broader purpose. Garza and Friends of Troll’s Knoll hope to expand the memorial into a shared memory garden where visitors can leave small tributes to their own lost pets, like small rocks engraved with names.
“Everybody’s lost someone or something,” Garza said. “Just a moment of peace and gratitude for that pet or person.”
The loss of a pet is devastating, something countless people experience. Having a space to pause and remember feels important.
“It’s such a gift,” she said of the time she had with Tilley. “When you get any kind of pet, you know it’s not forever. That’s the sad part of it, but it’s such a gift.”
Visit Tilley’s Trail
Tilley’s Trail is located at Troll’s Knoll, east of the Fremont Troll at N. 36th Street under the Aurora Bridge. The trail is accessible year-round and welcomes all visitors, especially those who could use a moment to smile, remember and feel grateful for the pets who have filled their lives with love.
Friends of Troll’s Knoll continues to maintain and develop the park space. To learn more visit fremonttrollsknoll.org.