Days of our Lives character Thomas DiMera breaks our hearts as the youngster tries to navigate the dramatic landscape in Salem. Alas, now, Cary Christopher, who plays Thomas, and his family are reliving a real-life heartbreaking loss on the first anniversary of a beloved family member who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.Days of our Lives, remembering Oreo View this post on Instagram Instagram Post"Today is a hard day," Christopher began a post on his Instagram page. "A year ago today, January 28, the dog I grew up with, Oreo, passed away. We knew he was sick and didn’t have much time left. It was awful to watch him be in pain. His lung cancer had come back aggressively, and there was no treatment left to save him."A few months earlier, Oreo had come to the set of Weapons in Atlanta to visit me," Christopher recalled. "Back at the hotel, he started coughing, and we thought maybe he picked up a cold from traveling from Los Angeles. My dad flew back home with him, his coughing just got worse, and a visit with the vet discovered he had a lung tumor. In November, he had surgery to remove it. He seemed to be doing better!"Then, around Christmas, he collapsed after chasing a tennis ball," the young actor sadly shared. "And within days, he no longer had the energy to walk. He needed to be carried outside and room to room. His breathing was rapid, and he seemed to be very uncomfortable and in pain."Days of our Lives star Cary Christopher will always remember OreoCary Christopher plays Thomas on Days of our Lives | Image: JPI"On January 27, I went to school that morning, and the teacher called my parents to tell them I was crying. I couldn’t stop thinking about him," Christopher remembers. "They picked me up and said, 'Let’s take Oreo to the beach. Let’s have one last night with him and get him a cheeseburger, and let him enjoy the ocean air and watch the seagulls.' And then they called Hearts and Halos for at-home euthanasia the next afternoon. My heart ripped into shreds."We drove to Santa Monica," the Days of our Lives performer continues. "He couldn’t walk anymore, so I pushed him in his doggie stroller, then we carried him to the sand to watch his last sunset. I gave him a million hugs."We stayed until it got dark and then headed home. Around 4 a.m., curled up in his dog bed, he took his last breath. He went on his own time. His body couldn’t fight anymore. We told him it was okay, that it was okay to go [and] that he was the best dog in the whole world and we could think about him and love him forever and forever. And I will keep that promise. I will never forget you, Oreo."Soap Central sends condolences to Christopher and his family on their loss.