Dog walk honors lives of Tina Tintor and her golden retriever

For people seeking to honor Tina Tintor and her dog, Max — both killed this month in a fiery crash — an element of the tragedy has not gone unnoticed: The 23-year-old woman and her 3-year-old golden retriever were headed home following an early morning walk when Tintor’s compact SUV was struck.

Scores of people have shown up for memorials and a vigil at the crash scene near Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Valley Parkway, and Tintor’s family laid her to rest Thursday. On Saturday morning, dog enthusiasts held a “Pack Walk” to honor both lives.

“We just felt, as a community, compelled to do something,” said Sabrina Smilor, an event organizer with West Side Walkers, a dog walking group.

Dozens of dogs, some barking, panting and tugging at their clinking leashes, walked with their owners at Town Square Las Vegas.

Teary-eyed and dressed in black, Tintor’s mother and other relatives walked with the group, observing from behind.

During a potty, water and group photo break, participants delicately approached the grieving woman to offer their condolences, sharing hugs and tears.

Tintor’s family, who have asked for privacy, declined an interview request.

After the Nov. 2 crash, then-Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs was arrested on several felony counts, including DUI resulting in death and reckless driving. The 22-year-old, who is under house arrest and faces decades in prison if convicted, is next due in court Dec. 16.

Before the event, organizers asked participants not to wear Raiders garb and not to discuss the crash. Instead, they were instructed to bring white bandannas to tie around their dogs’ ruffs.

Although the walk Saturday appeared upbeat, Tintor’s death has left a community reeling.

“I think it really pierced a nerve for a lot of us. It was just hard to take,” said Smilor, who brought her golden retrievers, Rocky, 1, and Angel, 10. “This is beautiful, and I’m just grateful that all these people took their time to honor her.”

Married couple Paul and Mazlina Bachman, who wore matching T-shirts proclaiming to be “Daisy’s mom” and “Daisy’s dad,” walked with the namesake of their attire, a 7-year-old golden retriever.

“More than anything,” they attended to support Tintor, Paul Bachman said.

Mazlina Bachman added: “It brings me to tears.”

Jimmy Hale and his wife, Devin, heard about the event on social media and walked with their golden retriever, Rusty, 2. Devin Hale described Tintor’s death as a “devastating loss.”

“And I think getting all these people together is just an incredible way to celebrate her,” she said.

From what she had learned about Tintor, Hale noted, “she would have been out doing something like this with her golden, so we wanted to make sure that we were out here supporting her and her dog.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickytwrites.