AUSTIN, Texas — Austin's Brittany Stanton sent a warning to the city after her dog, Ollie, died from swimming in Lady Bird Lake in 2019, but this year she was able to get back a piece of Ollie with a special memento made from Eterneva. The Austin-based company takes ashes of loved ones and turns them into diamonds, and it was able to make Stanton a diamond ring.
"We celebrate remarkable people and pets when they pass away by making real diamonds from the carbon in their ashes. And what's super special about this process is that it's intricate and it takes time," said Eterneva's CEO and Founder Adelle Archer. "We really have created a whole experience around the diamond journey that our customer can be involved in. They can actually come meet us in person, see our lab, and they have a milestone to look forward to."
Archer said every month they send their customers pictures, videos and updates, and it helps customers through their grieving process.
Last summer, Stanton took Ollie on a kayaking trip and shortly after their stay at Lady Bird Lake, Stanton said Ollie's legs started giving out 30 minutes later. Ollie was rushed to the vet but died the same day. The City of Austin later announced it detected deadly blue-green algae in the water, which is toxic to dogs.
Archer said watching someone open the box with the diamond of their loved one's ashes never gets old.
"She chose an orange diamond, which actually matches exactly the color of his fur. Like, when you see the diamond, it literally looks just like him," said Archer. "You just see the rush of emotion that hits her and it was so beautiful. Her boyfriend facilitated it also, you know, Boyfriend of the Year award for sure."
As of Dec. 8, the City said the risk for harmful algae bloom is low.
"We have seen no indications of harmful algae for three weeks, and we do not expect toxins to return until next summer," it says on the City's website.
RELATED: 'I love you for all of time': Woman sends warning when dog dies after swimming in Lady Bird Lake
The City said there is always some level of risk in a natural water body, although the risk in Lady Bird Lake is currently low.
- Avoid stagnant areas or areas with algae.
- Rinse your dog after contact with the water.
- If your dog becomes sick after swimming, take your dog to a veterinarian immediately.
If you allow your dog to swim in Lady Bird Lake, the City said you do so at your own risk.
City leaders sent out a press release Tuesday saying Watershed Protection staff are no longer detecting harmful algae in Lady Bird Lake due to cooler temperatures.
This year, the first toxins were detected on July 14. The last positive sample was taken on Nov. 10. Officials did not receive reports of any dog illnesses or deaths this year.
More information on the City of Austin algae can be found here.
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