In the search for their missing dog Annie, hope came in the form of a roadside stranger who made a promise that would reunite the family.
Cape Town, South Africa (29 May, 2023) — When missing dog Annie let herself out of the house one Sunday morning in the Sunningdale area, her family were determined to scour every avenue possible to find her. One would lead them to a hero in disguise as a roadside stranger.
Searching by foot and car, sharing digital and physical flyers, walking the long streets of social media and tar, approaching people from all walks of life and even animal telepaths were just some of the many avenues this family went through to find Annie, as her owner Daniella van Breda explains.
As Annie’s search party returned relentlessly to the green belt where they suspected their lost girl to be, they met hope in the form of a destitute man named Ronald.
Ronald shared that he had seen the dog and given her water just the night before. Filled with more hope, the family trusted the stranger and followed him to her sighting spot off West Coast Road.
Annie wasn’t there, but the chance of her returning was, so the search was on for the next day.
Upon return, there was no sign of Annie, just Ronald who made a promise to the family that he would keep the search going in his own capacity.
They exchanged contact details and put their faith in the stranger to be their eyes and ears while they continued the search elsewhere.
Ronald kept his promise, and thanks to his commitment, the family received the kind of call any pet parent on a quest to bring their four-footed family member home longs for.
“We received a frantic call from a very emotional Ronald, saying she was back at the bush and we had to rush.”— Daniella van Breda.
Soon they were back at the scene they knew very well by then and saw Ronald flagging them down, guiding them to Annie’s new hiding spot.
Daniella’s husband quickly launched under the foliage and soon Annie was in her family’s arms once again after a handful of stress-induced days; a missing dog no longer entirely because of the Good Samaritan guide Ronald.
“We are thankful for good people, community and miracles,” shared Daniella.
Ronald has been dubbed ‘Angel Ronald’ by some of the Table View community, with many hoping his kindness invites more kindness into his own life. Annie’s owners shared that they paid his kindness forward and hope to continue doing so for him in the future.
In another epic dose of good-doggo news, a family was reunited with both their missing pets after three years, thanks to another hero in the form of a determined police officer and a stranger none-the-wiser.
Roadside wanderers, cops, or strangers, everyday heroes may come from all walks of life, but they often stroll the same path—bettering others’ lives.