It was supposed to be just another hike. A quiet walk through the lush rainforest covering Mt. Meru, the volcano that towers next to where he lives. But high up in the mountains, in the cold, soaking rain, something unexpected stopped him.
There, curled up and shivering, was a tiny puppy, too weak to move. She was soaked to the bone, her fragile body trembling in the cold.
Her ribs and spine pressed painfully through her thin, muddy coat. Alone and exhausted, she wouldn’t have survived the night.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up and held her tight to his chest, her bony frame bouncing gently as they climbed over rocks, waded through rivers, and scaled steep terrain to get back down the mountain. She clung to life the whole way.
Back home, she was given what might have been her first taste of safety: a warm blanket, soft food, fresh water, and twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep.
When she finally woke up, she was still fragile, weighing just 2.5 kilograms, but now there was a spark in her eyes.
They named her Koda, short for Kodama, the forest spirits in Princess Mononoke. This name felt right for a creature so connected to the forest and full of quiet strength.
In just a few short weeks, everything changed.
Koda has doubled in size, her coat now fluffy and clean, her eyes bright and alert. She’s learned to sit, fetch, and come when called and quickly become a pro-ball-catcher. But the most heartwarming part of all? The way she’s bonded to her rescuer.
She follows him everywhere, no matter where he goes. She’s made herself a cozy nest under his office desk, content to be near him. The mountain that nearly took her life became the beginning of something beautiful.
Koda found more than safety that day—she found her person. And in return, she’s offering the kind of love only a rescued soul can give: total trust, endless loyalty, and quiet gratitude.
From a lonely, freezing pup on the side of a volcano to a treasured family member—Koda’s journey is a reminder that sometimes, the best companions find us when we least expect it.
