For many, a dog is an irreplaceable family member. This Georgia family knows that truth all too well.
Years ago, Ted and Kelly rescued a Lab/German Shepard mix from their local animal shelter. They named their new dog Bear and the trio quickly bonded.
After cuddles on the couch, games, and road trips, Bear and Ted were especially close.
One day, Bear and Ted were out running some errands when Ted rear-ended a vehicle on the interstate. The shock of the accident frightened Bear and he bolted out of the car and over the interstate. Ted saw him run clear across several lanes of traffic.
Hoping to find Bear, Ted searched for him for hours after he was okayed to leave the hospital after the accident. Sadly, Bear was nowhere to be found.
After weeks going by and still no sign of Bear, Ted and Kelly assumed the worst and grieved the loss of their family member.
Little did they know that, on the other side of town, something extraordinary had been going on.
Two women who worked at a junkyard noticed something out of place one afternoon. Off in the distance, they saw something that looked like a large dog. Well, they were right. It was Bear.
Every day (for the next 18 months!) the two women would leave food out for the dog. The dog would only eat and then retreat to a secluded place. For over a year and a half, they fed the dog from a distance but never managed to get close enough to the dog to check for a collar.
After 18 months, they built a pen that Bear wandered into. Once rescuers managed to get ahold of him they learned that he was microchipped! Thankfully, the chip pointed Bear toward Ted and Kelly.
When they learned that their loving companion was alive and nearby, they burst out in joy. See the remarkable story, below.