The touching story of a wandering boy who saves a stray dog’s life to become friends: since then, two unfortunate lives make up for each other and have a special bond .

While some may see dogs as mere animals, to countless individuals, they are cherished friends and beloved family members. A small dog can mend a wounded soul and fill a void in a person’s heart. The tale of 11-year-old Rommel Quemenales, hailing from Quezon City in the Philippines, offers a unique perspective on true love, which transcends barriers of race.

Since childhood, Rommel has been separated from his parents, forced to live far away from them. While he has an older sister residing in another city, the lack of means to travel there leaves Rommel fending for himself on the streets, scavenging for food, despite having only completed the second grade. Though he yearns to return to school someday, such aspirations appear distant and unattainable. Rommel’s life is marked by loneliness and sorrow, often enduring the taunts and mistreatment of other street children due to his small and frail frame. However, fate intervenes as Rommel crosses paths with Badgi, a stray dog wandering the same streets, and his life is irrevocably transformed. Every day, while seeking food, Rommel shares his meager provisions with his newfound best friend.

In return, Badgi valiantly protects Rommel from any harm inflicted by street thugs. At night, these two destitute companions huddle together, finding solace in each other’s presence, forgetting the toils and weariness of the day. Perhaps it is their shared misfortunes or an enduring karmic connection from a previous life, but these two beings, both vulnerable and abandoned, bring beauty into each other’s lives. Their friendship, a bond between humans and animals, grows peacefully and enduringly over the years, a sight so exquisite that it seems only fit for movies or novels.

With Badgi by his side, Rommel is no longer haunted by the fear of solitude or the humiliation inflicted by bullies. Likewise, the little dog remains unfazed by their contrasting circumstances, caring not whether Rommel is a homeless boy or a wealthy individual, for love alone is sufficient.

Eventually, fortune smiles upon the lives of these two underprivileged beings, thanks to Maria Kabs, a passerby who inadvertently shared their story on her personal Facebook page. Unexpectedly, Rommel and Badgi’s tale captures the attention of online communities worldwide. Touched by this extraordinary friendship, readers unite to help Rommel achieve his dream of returning to school and creating a small family with Badgi. Despite enduring numerous hardships and storms, Rommel’s most precious possession is his unwaveringly honest and pure heart, untainted by the harshness of his circumstances. As a testament to the wonders of nature, Badgi and Rommel enter each other’s worlds, infusing them with color and a strange perfection. Though they may differ in species and language, these two abandoned souls connect through carefree innocence and purity, qualities that are truly invaluable.