‘Queer Eye’ Star Bulldog Bruley Dead at 10

The Queer Eye cast and fans are mourning after the Fab Five’s unofficial mascot, Bruley the French bulldog, died at the age of 10. News of Bruley’s passing was announced by Thursday by his owner and Queer Eye producer Michelle Silva via the pup’s official Instagram account, revealing that Bruley passed away after “suffering from heart problems.”

“My whole heart. My love bug. My best friend. My constant. My soul mate. My everything. I brought him home when he was 9 weeks old on a rainy day in New York City,” Silva wrote. “Ten years later on a rainy day in LA, he passed away in my arms on my bedroom floor. Bru had been suffering from heart problems, and an instant heart attack was a possibility. He just had too much love and heart for his physical body.”

“It all happened so fast, but I held him as he took his last breath, and I was able to tell him I loved him the very most. I told him everyday I loved him more than anything in the world, and I reminded him of that over and over as he slipped out of this life,” she recalled. “He gave me more than I could have ever given him, and I was able to thank him for allowing me to be his mom. He chose me.”

Silva went on to fondly remember Bruley’s adventurus spirit, calling him the “ultimate co-pilot,” and his sudden rise to fame on the Netflix original series.

“In the last year of his life, he found fame!” she wrote. “Over the course of 16 episodes of [Queer Eye], in just a few moments on screen, you guys all got a glimpse of the Bru I knew and loved. He was hilarious, stubborn, sometimes inappropriate, and always a sucker for a snack.”

“It’s been so fun capturing his spirit and sharing more with you all here. I’ve taken a few days to process and grieve and figure out what’s next,” Silva continued, adding that she doesn’t “want to stop sharing the best of Bru” and stating her hopes to launch Bruley-inspired merchandise and “explore non-profit opportunities and getting involved in bulldog rescue.”

“There is so much Bru inspired, and it’s so much bigger than I even realized,” she concluded.

Bruley became a fan-favorite member of Queer Eye, capturing the hearts of both fans and the Fab Five – Bobby Berk, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, and Karamo Brown – over the course of his Seasons 2 and 3 appearances. In the wake of his death, many of the series’ stars and fans have flocked to social media to pay tribute.

“RIP my furry little friend,” Berk captioned a photo of himself and the pup. “You brought joy to so many with your jump kisses, grunts and even your farts. You were the best little sidekick we could have had. You will be very missed by all including your mama @tinsely_ who my heart goes out to right now. I love YOU.”

Taking to his Instagram story, Porowski wrote, “rest in puppy peace, because all dogs go to heaven, little one.”

Seasons 1-4 of Queer Eye are available for streaming on Netflix.