When rescuing animals from shelters or unsustainable living conditions, we often feel that we were able to give them a second chance at life. As I'm sure many animal lovers will agree, our pets enrich our lives, saving us little by little each day. However, rarely are we in a situation that allows us to witness the true lengths our pets are willing to go for us. Brian Myers had that chance, and his new rescue Sadie didn't hesitate to stand by her owner.

Brian adopted a beautiful German shepherd rescue from Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, despite some behavioral concerns mentioned in her online bio. Sadie has problems with trust, and is especially nervous around men, and would take a while to warm up to someone new. But that didn't stop Brian from falling in love. "I sensed that she was a great dog and I decided to adopt her in the first 30 minutes," Brian explained. "She jumped into my car and we've developed a strong bond."

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Although taking on a pup with behavioral issues can be daunting, Brian knew immediately that Sadie was worth it. "I was able to work through the issues she had and committed to give her the home and love she deserved," he continued. "It was the best decision I could have made because she is amazingly loving and my best friend."

Only a short while after being adopted, Sadie was able to show just how much being part of Brian's family meant to her. On January 16th, 2020, Brian suffered from a stroke while he was sleeping. In the middle of the night, he awoke to use the restroom and fell straight to the floor as soon as he tried to stand up. Sadie, who had been laying on Brian's bed at the time, immediately jumped into action. She leapt to Brian's side and stood by him, refusing to leave as she licked his face. "She knew that I was in trouble and was distressed," Brian recalls. "I took a hold of her collar and she knew to assist me in getting the help I needed and began to pull with all of her strength." Sadie was able to pull Brian up onto his feet, and guide him to the nearest person in the house to get medical help.

Photo: Facebook/Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge

Since then, Brian has been in the hospital and rehab recovering from his stroke. On February 9th he was finally released and reunited with his heroic Sadie. This happy reunion, which can be watched below, brought tears and joy to the clapping medical staff as Sadie leapt up onto Brian's wheelchair and immediately began licking his face.

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The Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge is collecting donations for "Sadie's future needs and medical care, as Brian has to go on disability and his biggest concern is being able to care for Sadie." If you'd like to learn more about the animal refuge, be sure to check out their Facebook page!