Can you guess this mystery person?

Last week I posted the first mystery person, a new feature of my blog.  I made it too easy and Rita guessed it correctly right away!

This time I'll try to make it a little more challenging!  This person is a close friend or a relative who has been a significant part of my life.  The first person to correctly guess the name wins their choice of a bottle of wine or a chocolate bar!

Here are the clues:

• I've known this person more than 10 years
• This person has a big heart and would drop everything to help a friend in need
• We've had a ton of laughs, and a few tears, together over the years
• This person is creative
• This person loves all animal