Photo: St. Petersburg Times / ZUMA Press
Early one morning, Yolanda Segovia's neighbor, Stacey Savige, knocked on her door and asked her to temporarily take in a stray dog she had found. The scruffy terrier mix had no collar or microchip. Segovia eyed the pooch -- burrs sticking to his belly and mud caking his fur -- and reluctantly agreed to foster him for the day.
An erstwhile hairdresser, Segovia hasn't worked since 2006. At 47, she is a survivor of breast cancer and cervical cancer. A divorced single mother of two, Segovia shares her Port Tampa, Florida home with her 10 year-old son Azaiah and 21 year-old son Christian. Her elder son has Down Syndrome; he cannot speak or bathe himself, and he has had heart surgery and a kidney transplant, reports the St. Petersburg Times.
Azaiah immediately took to the dog, whom he named RaeLee (pronounced "Riley"). Segovia and her sons bought the dog a collar, leash, ball and brown bed from the dollar store, and all that day, Azaiah played with the dog, laughing gleefully whenever RaeLee licked his face. "Don't fall in love with him," Segovia warned.
Segovia and Savige made 4,000 FOUND flyers with the dog's picture, stuffed mailboxes and put an ad on Craigslist. When no one called, RaeLee stayed the night at the Segovias' house. His dog bed was placed in the living room, but when the boys climbed into their twin beds, RaeLee dragged his bed down the long hallway and bunked with the boys in their room.
By Saturday -- four days later -- no one had called to claim RaeLee, and he was still living with the Segovias. The honey-colored terrier had started responding to his new name. He almost never barked, loved playing rambunctiously with Azaiah, and was tender with Christian.
One afternoon, the dog settled himself on the floor near Christian as he watched a "Barney" video in his room. Segovia was outside watering the plants when the placid moment was shattered by the sound of RaeLee crashing into the screen door and barking crazily. Alarmed, Segovia opened the door, only to have the dog race back through the house towards the boys' room. Segovia followed, screaming when she caught sight of her son. Christian was "slumped over, his body writhing in a seizure, blood streaming from his nose and mouth." RaeLee stood next to him yelping, but suddenly went quiet when Yolanda reached down to hold her son.
"If he hadn't come to get me," Segovia told the St. Petersburg Times, "the neurologist said Christian would have choked on his own blood and died." The dog, she decided, was a keeper.
But the next day, Segovia and her sons were heartbroken when someone called to claim the dog they had come to love. Randy Cliff, 34, who lived six blocks away said he had been searching for his dog -- real name Odie -- for over a week. Odie had lived with Cliff, his wife, their four children and infant granddaughter. Savige cried, telling Cliff, "That dog saved my friend's son."
When Cliff came to collect his dog, RaeLee a.k.a. Odie, leapt off the Segovias' porch and into his arms. Christian watched from a window. Azaiah stood on the porch watching the man hug the dog he knew as RaeLee. "We're going to miss you," he said, tearfully.
Looking up, Cliff took in the scene -- Christian looking scared, Azaiah looking downtrodden -- and asked, "Is that your brother?" Azaiah nodded yes.
With a sudden change of heart, Cliff put the dog back down. "Maybe Odie was supposed to find you," Cliff told a stunned and delighted Azaiah. "Maybe you should keep him."
And that is how the kindness of strangers -- Savige for rescuing a lost dog, Segovia for taking him in, and Cliff for giving up his pet to a pair of brothers who needed the dog more -- brought RaeLee to live with Azaiah, Christian and their mother.
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What a terrific story. I am so glad RaeLee stayed with the boy, The love from a good dog is something that should always be treasured.
Very beautiful redeeming story & well recanted, thank you.
That was the best story~ The natural kindness of the pooch is expected, but the previous owner? Now there is a miracle!
Wonderful! It is better to give than receive. God will bless him for giving unselfishly.
OMG that story makes you feel so good see Angels do come in any size or shape or form great story
angels come very often in the guise of our 4 legged friends. i can never understand why people dont credit our animal companions with the intelligence and the emotional capability they possess. i have 2 dogs and a cat and they are as much a part of my family as my human relatives. thank god we have these beings to be with us in good and troubled times. the other plus is they never complain when times get tough or hard
If we got more news like this, people would be less stressed, smile more and maybe even begin to care for one another. Thank you for sharing this heart warming story!
That was truely a grat TAIL. We should all be blessed to have pets like this.
After reading the always sad & depressing stories of everyday news, what a great redemption of human kindness & overwhelming dedication of our canine friends to bring a tear to our eyes & at the same time make us smile!!! I am a cat person. However, a past boyfriend decided we needed a dog; long story short; she had A litter & I fell in love with the runt. So, mother & daughter (Maggie & Olivia) both lived to 17 yrs. each. I had the great honor of being their "mother". I know that when I pass, they & the rest of my 4 legged children (21 so far) will be waiting for me on Rainbow Bridge....to me THAT is Heaven! Love & Peace to all!
i my self have seizures and have found that my ratterrier has the same ability,, when i go into one she is right there and want hardly let anyone around me, she knows before i do,, the gentleman that gave up his pet for a stranger has arrand his wings in heaven,, this man is a blessing,, and God does work in strange was..this is a great loving story..
I was so touched by this story; couldn't help shedding tears. I work with students with special needs and reading the story made me reflect on their lives and how even canine companions can make a big difference in their lives. Thank you Editor.
Faith Dhliwayo, Boston, USA
thank you for making me cry first thing in the morning....it was a good cry :)
At work, I was feeling alittle down and decided to turn on my computer.
When I read the article about " Raelee (Odie) tears came to my eyes. My co-workers asked what was wrong and I stated that by reading this story it actually tears of comfort...Now everyone in my office is reading the story about 'Raelee (Odee)"
Thanks! Raelee (Odie)
What a wonderful story. Angels do exist, and there is more than one in this story.
For Cliff to be reunited with the canine member of his family, where undoubtly there are many family memories with the canine, and then be able to selflessly give him to a new family...that's my kind of hero!
It has always irked me that many only display such selfless acts of kindness around Christmas time. (How many times have you been cut off by a rude, aggressive driver,or snarled at by a down on life service provider?) It is always heart warming to read a Christmas story during the "off season."
Let everyone who reads this article, today be inspired to do something nice without reward or reciprocation, for someone else. Spread the smiles!
Its about time they put out some good news like this. With all thats going on in the world, this is just really nice. A heart felt story.
A pet is always and will always be a mans best friend. Such a touchig story. A et will stand by his master no matter what.
I just had to put one of my cats of 13 years down from cancer she was always by me and never asked for a thing. If only people could learn how to treat one another. What a world this would be.
Lou
Such a wonderful testimony...God truly works in mysterious ways...
This story sent chills all over me. What wonderful people took him in. God Bless
Yes, that's very sweet but did anybody consider how the dog felt? He obviously was overjoyed at seeing his master again only to have the man he loved walk away and leave him there. I'm sure he didn't understand that.
This is the best story ever! I am so happy for all in this story. God bless all gods creatures.