As Walter lay dying, he kept whispering, “Murphy.”
Murphy was his golden retriever, left behind when Walter was hospitalized. Kind nurses brought the dog to his bedside. The moment they reunited, Walter smiled and softly asked, “Did you find her?”
He was remembering Lizzie — a missing teen no one believed was in danger. Years ago, Walter and Murphy searched until the dog found her: cold, injured, but alive.
Decades later, I shared their story online. A woman messaged, “I think I’m Lizzie.” She visited with her daughter, and Walter recognized her instantly. They reconnected, and she welcomed him into her home.
Walter spent his last year surrounded by love — and Murphy.
At his funeral, she said, “Walter believed in me. Murphy found me. Twice.”
A stone in her garden reads:
Murphy — Guardian Angel. Good boy, forever.
Sometimes, love circles back when you need it most.
