# The Miracle of Kindness.....................



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

The miracle of Kindness to the least of all creatures has a way of coming round full circle to touch many hearts and teach lessons of compassion. This is the story of an elderly Golden Retriever, Willy: loved, lost, reclaimed to love but lost again, rescued once more when he thought, perhaps that his luck had finally run dry, and finally, miraculously found again—truly found again.

You see, Willy has had many adventures in his life. He was first loved by a family who called him Cujo. His family was moving homes in St. Louis when, by accident, a gate was left open. Willy (formerly Cujo) and his companion dog were lost. While signs, and calls, and a network of friends were able to return the companion dog, Willy was never found. The heart broken young daughter (Kayla) who loved him so, promised never to forget him and every year, set out a Christmas stocking for him—never giving up hope that one day love would bring him home.

Well, six years came and went. Willy’s life went on. Somehow he found himself in the home of an elderly woman in Columbia (over 2 hours from his home in Saint Louis). When the elderly woman became ill she was taken to a nursing home. Willy was found alone in her home but(having lost yet another companion), he was carted off to the Humane Society—left to what would have been likely euthanasia for this gentlemanly old dog. This ignoble sentence was just not meant to be, as he was once again found but this time by the Saint Louis Golden Retriever rescue group:

Poor Willy, having grown mostly deaf through many ear infections, with only matted fur and a broken toe to show for his years, didn’t have much to win him favors but Dirk's has long seen the value of love given to old dogs and then returned in kind. So, Willy was to find good veterinary care, caring foster home and anonymous internet fame in a posting on the website:

You might guess—the rest they say is history. Perhaps karma, perhaps just the enduring wish of a little girl and a lonely Christmas stocking, perhaps just miracle of kindness coming round again, Willy made the long journey home, but not before sharing his love where he could and finally, coming home to Kayla and her family. Who can say how Kayla and her family found the website, how Willy made it to Columbia and how the Saint Louis based rescue society found him there, saw a dog worth saving only to bring him back to St. Louis and eventually home again. There are many words for this but best of all is love.


----------



## Gldiebr (Oct 10, 2006)

What a great story! Cujo/Willy sounds like a great golden soul. I'm glad his human friend never gave up looking for him.


----------



## Booker (Nov 14, 2006)

Such a fantastic story with an amazing well deserved ending...*sniff*...


----------



## jeffreyzone (Feb 8, 2006)

Wow! That is a great story! We usually never know a stray dog's background, and we rarely find out where a dog was before he came to rescue. Willy's case is so well-documented that it really makes me think about rescue from a different perspective, even though I am always trying to figure out what's going on with a foster dog.

Thanks for sharing this story!


----------



## kra (Oct 2, 2006)

What a great story! There are many lessons to be learned here for a lot of people. Doggie Rescues and the people behind them are very special!
I always go out of my way and make it a point to support a rescue in every way I can, not just with $$. There are a lot of ways that you can support a organization. rather then the almighty $.
Thanks for sharing this golden story!
Outstanding!


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Well the phones have been ringing off the hook... apparently the AP Press got wind of the story and it went out on the wire.............


----------



## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Ouch, I have a hard time reading stories like that even when they have a good ending.


----------



## PeggyK (Apr 16, 2005)

I don't know how I missed this thread-I'm crying!! What a wonderful story!!


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

PeggyK said:


> I don't know how I missed this thread-I'm crying!! What a wonderful story!!


The owner of Willy...his brother and his wife are the ones who adopted Lexus....


----------



## KatzNK9 (Feb 27, 2007)

What a heartwarming story! Truly tugged on my heartstrings! What a lucky, lucky dog & a lucky not-so-little anymore girl.


----------



## Brinkleysmom (Dec 17, 2005)

This is such a great story Mary and I have been following it right along not only because it is your rescue; but because it was a golden retriever. But what a great thing to happen. I am so happy he was reunited. Thanks for sharing the story. I did read it over on Dirk's site a while back; but its always nice to read those happy stories again. Also nice to bring it to the frontlines again in case some newcomers have not read it. Great story.


----------

