We Adopted a Rescue Dog — The Next Night, My 8-Year-Old Son Was Gone

What began as a simple family outing to adopt a rescue dog quickly turned into a night of panic, hidden secrets, and difficult truths. That night made me question everything I believed about trust and family.

Last weekend, I thought I lost my son.

It all started with a dog. My son, Andy, had been begging for one for months. Every day, he’d ask, “Dad, can we please, please get a dog?” He was relentless, and I was getting close to giving in. But he also had to convince Kelly, my wife.

After a lot of talking, my wife finally agreed. She looked at me seriously and said, “Fine, but only if it’s small and well-behaved. We’re not getting some big, messy mutt.”

Kelly had grown up in a tidy home, where pets were seen as small, clean, and polite. A poodle or a Yorkie, maybe, but definitely not a scruffy dog. Our son, though, wanted a real friend.

Source: Midjourney

The shelter was loud, full of barking and howling. Andy’s eyes lit up as we walked down the rows of kennels, skipping over the fluffy dogs we were supposed to be considering.

Then he stopped. In front of us was a kennel with the scruffiest dog I’d ever seen. She had tangled fur, big brown eyes, and a tail that looked crooked. She didn’t bark, just looked at us, tilting her head as if curious.

I squatted down next to Andy. “She’s not exactly what your mom wanted, buddy.”

“She needs us,” he said, looking at me with a stubborn glint. “Look at her. She’s… sad. We could make her happy.”

Source: Midjourney

“All right,” I said, ruffling his hair. “Let’s bring her home.”

When we walked in, my wife’s face fell. “She’s a little scruffier than I imagined,” she said, glancing between the dog and me.

“Come on, Daisy’s great,” I said, grinning. “Besides, they’re already best friends.”

She forced a small smile, looking unconvinced. “I just hope she doesn’t ruin the carpets.”

That evening, as we got ready for bed, Daisy wouldn’t settle down. She paced around, whining softly.

“Can’t you do something about that?” Kelly sighed, looking irritated.

“She’s probably nervous being in a new place,” I said. “Maybe she just needs some attention.”

Kelly hesitated, then swung her legs over the bed. “Fine. I’ll give her a treat or something,” she muttered and left the room.

Source: Midjourney

Minutes later, she returned, saying, “She just needed a treat.” She climbed into bed, and the whining stopped.

I woke up around 3 a.m. to a strange quiet. Something felt wrong. I got up to check on Andy. His bed was empty, the covers on the floor, and the window slightly open.

A cold panic crept over me.

I rushed down the hall, checking every room, calling his name louder each time. But he was nowhere.

I ran back to the bedroom and shook my wife awake. “He’s not in his room,” I said, my voice shaking. “The window’s open. Daisy’s gone too.”

She sat up, her eyes wide, but there was something else—guilt?

“Maybe she escaped, and he went after her?” I asked, desperate for an answer.

Source: Midjourney

She bit her lip, hesitating. “I don’t… I don’t know,” she stammered.

I picked up my phone and called the police, praying he was somewhere nearby.

Just as I was about to step outside, there was a soft scratching at the door.

When I opened it, Daisy sat there, covered in mud, panting. I dropped to one knee, feeling a mix of relief and confusion.

“Daisy?” I whispered. “Where were you?”

It felt strange to ask a dog, but I was desperate. She just looked up at me with tired eyes.

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Hours later, just as dawn broke, my phone buzzed. It was Mrs. Carver, an elderly neighbor who lived nearby.

“I saw a little boy near the woods behind my house,” she said. “He looked… lost.”

I thanked her, grabbed my keys, and headed to the car. Kelly and Daisy followed, looking tense. The woods weren’t far, but it felt like miles.

When we arrived, I ran into the woods, calling his name. And then, finally, I saw him.

He was curled up under a tree, shivering, his face dirty. I knelt beside him, pulling him close.

“Buddy,” I said, my voice breaking. “You scared us half to death.”

He looked up, his face lighting up when he saw Daisy behind me. She’d followed us, sniffing the ground.

Source: Midjourney

“Daisy,” he whispered, hugging her. “I thought you ran away because of me.”

I picked him up, wrapping him in my arms. “Let’s go home, all right?”

He nodded, looking back at Daisy like she was the only thing keeping him safe.

When we got back to the house, relief washed over me. My son was safe, Daisy was with us, but something still felt off.

My wife was tense, her eyes avoiding mine. She seemed distant, almost nervous. After we’d settled Andy on the couch with a blanket, I turned to her.

Source: Midjourney

“I swear I locked the door. How did Daisy get out?”

She looked down, her hands twisting. After a long pause, she took a deep breath. “I… I let her out.”

I stared, not understanding. “You… let her out?”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I thought… maybe if she disappeared, he’d get over it. She wasn’t the dog I wanted. She’s… scruffy, and I didn’t think she fit here.”

I felt anger and hurt boiling inside. “So you just… let her go?”

“I didn’t know he’d… he’d go after her,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I thought he’d be sad, then move on. I didn’t want this mess. I just wanted things to be normal.”

Source: Midjourney

“Normal?” I repeated. “You put him in danger because you couldn’t handle a little mess?”

She sank into a chair, covering her face. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know he’d do something so brave or that Daisy would stay with him. I didn’t think.”

I shook my head, struggling to understand. I looked at Andy, snuggled up with Daisy on the couch, her head on his lap. They’d bonded through something none of us had expected.

“I don’t know how we move past this,” I said quietly. “But for now… Daisy stays. She’s part of this family, and you need to accept that.”

She nodded, wiping her eyes, realizing the weight of what had happened.

Source: Midjourney

As I watched Andy stroke Daisy’s fur, a small, hopeful warmth rose in my chest. Family wasn’t about having things perfect. Sometimes, it was about the imperfect moments, the scruffy dogs, and the quiet forgiveness that held us all together.

Mom Takes Son to School, Gets Emotional When She Sees Boy Who Is a Carbon Copy of Her Son There — Story of the Day

A mother stood perplexed when she saw another boy who looked exactly like her son at school. After digging deep, she made a shocking discovery.

Dr. Samantha Darcey has been through a rough ride in her marital life. Things started brightly for her. She was a brilliant child and always topped her class in elementary school. She continued with her academic brilliance in middle and high school.

Thus, it was not a surprise when she got a scholarship to study at Yale University. After years of hard work and excellence, she graduated at the top of her class in medical school.

Samantha saw another boy who looked so much like her son Brian at school | Source: Shutterstock

Samantha saw another boy who looked so much like her son Brian at school | Source: Shutterstock

As a doctor and orthopedic surgeon, Samantha was loved by her co-workers and patients. She had a way of making difficult things look easy, and it endeared her to many people.

However, while things were going fine in her career, she was not having it easy in her marriage. Her first marriage was to Luke Charming, who she met at Yale.

There was something about him that she just loved, and she always wanted to be with him. The feeling was mutual. There was no doubt they loved each other.

Hence, it was not a surprise when they tied the knot. Many of their friends and loved ones attended their wedding ceremony, which was almost carnival-like.

After six years of marriage, Luke and Samantha were yet to have a child. At first, it did not matter, but Luke became angry about the situation as time went on.

When the doctor told them Samantha could not get pregnant, he lost his mind. Samantha suggested they try other means, but he was not having any of it.

Samantha found love again three years later with Jeremy Miller, a photojournalist she met at a medical convention | Source: Pexels

Samantha found love again three years later with Jeremy Miller, a photojournalist she met at a medical convention | Source: Pexels

Their communication levels dropped, and within three months of the doctor’s revelation, Luke filed for divorce. Samantha was heartbroken but remained hopeful.

She found love again three years later. This time, it was with Jeremy Miller, a photojournalist she met at a medical convention. They had an instant connection and started dating soon after their first meeting.

Samantha discovered Jeremy had an 8-year-old son, Brian. She and Brian bonded so sweetly and quickly became fond of each other.

She always took him to school whenever she stayed over at Jeremy’s place. Jeremy told her Brian’s mom died at childbirth and it made her love him even more.

Jeremy and Samantha tied the knot six months after they started dating. Unlike Samantha’s first marriage with Luke, their wedding ceremony was a more private and intimate affair.

Things seemed perfect for Jeremy and Samantha after tying the knot. Brian’s presence added spice to their relationship. Jeremy loved his son’s bond with his wife and felt lucky for marrying her.

There was something he had hidden from her since meeting her but he felt he could no longer tell her now that they were married for fear of losing her.

Samantha and Brian bonded so sweetly and quickly became fond of each other | Source: Pexels

Samantha and Brian bonded so sweetly and quickly became fond of each other | Source: Pexels

The Christmas season arrived quickly and Samantha had everything planned out for an enjoyable experience. She loved the holiday season as a child and was keen to make it memorable for Brian.

Part of her schedule was to take him to school for the Christmas fair. She bought him a special costume for the fair and watched him proudly as he sauntered into the hall.

As she turned around, she saw another young boy, who looked just like Brian. They had similar facial features and physique, but the other boy could not walk very well.

An elderly woman with gray hair stood behind the other boy. Samantha was tempted to ask the woman about the boy but debated about it in her mind. Eventually, she spoke to the woman.

“Hi ma’am,” she said. “I don’t mean to disturb you, but your boy looks exactly like mine and I was wondering if it is just a coincidence.”

“Hmmmm,” the elderly woman sighed. “Do you have time to spare? Because this is going to be a long conversation.”

Samantha and the gray-haired woman went to a nearby cafe. The woman introduced herself as Meghan Louis. She said she was the grandma of the boy Samantha saw her with. “His name is Anderson and he was born a twin,” the elderly woman added.

An elderly woman with gray hair stood behind the boy who looked just like Brian | Source: Pexels

An elderly woman with gray hair stood behind the boy who looked just like Brian | Source: Pexels

Samantha placed her hands on her mouth and gasped when she heard the woman’s words. The woman calmed her down and explained further.

She revealed Anderson’s mother gave birth to him and another son but died in childbirth. In addition, Anderson was born with a defect (one of his legs was shorter than the other, which caused him to limp), while the other boy was completely healthy.

Meghan revealed that Jeremy is Anderson’s father. After discovering his wife had died in labor, and one of his sons had a defect, he took the healthy child and abandoned Anderson.

The healthy child is Brian, who Jeremy raised, but he completely neglected Anderson. Meghan adopted Anderson and has been raising him since then.

When Meghan concluded her story, Samantha’s eyes filled with tears. She was speechless and found it difficult to believe how wicked Jeremy had been.

After the Christmas fair, she ran to Anderson and hugged him tightly. She introduced him to Brian and told the boys they were twin brothers.

After the Christmas fair, Samantha ran to Anderson and hugged him tightly | Source: Pexels

After the Christmas fair, Samantha ran to Anderson and hugged him tightly | Source: Pexels

When Samantha got home that day, she was angry at Jeremy and told him he was a wicked man. He was confused, but when she narrated the whole story to him, he fell on the floor and cried.

This was what he had always wanted to tell her but could not bring himself to say for fear of losing her. Now, his old demons had come back to bite him.

Jeremy promised to reunite with his abandoned second son and build a relationship with him. However, Samantha said she could not continue with the marriage.

“How could you be so mean to a little child? The son of your wife, who died while bringing him to life!” Samantha asked Jeremy. “Oh, Jeremy! You are so mean. This marriage is over! Goodbye!” she concluded.

Samantha kept to her words and proceeded with the divorce. However, she kept in touch with Brian and Anderson. She built a relationship with Anderson and helped him get rid of his limp through her medical knowledge and physiotherapy.

Meanwhile, Jeremy, now very remorseful, met his abandoned son and apologized to him and Meghan. He introduced Brian to Anderson and told the boys about their mom.

Samantha never returned to Jeremy but dedicated herself to caring for his sons, whom she took as her own. She was fulfilled being in the boys’ presence and lived a happy life afterward.

Jeremy introduced Brian to Anderson and told the boys about their mom | Source: Pexels

Jeremy introduced Brian to Anderson and told the boys about their mom | Source: Pexels

What did we gain from this story?

  • Don’t look down on people because of their present condition. Jeremy looked down on his son, Anderson, because of his defect and did not even allow himself to be a father to him. Later, he came to regret that decision.
  • Be kind to others. Always be kind to others. Samantha exuded kindness and was disappointed at Jeremy for his meanness. Because of a single, wicked act, Jeremy lost the love of his life.
  • The world is a small place. Be kind to everyone. One never knows what can happen in the future. The little help given to someone today can lead to great things someday. However, if one is mean to others, they will eventually reap their rewards.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a grieving mom who meets a limping mute boy who looks exactly like her late son and takes a DNA test.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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