Dion Leonard was running a race across the Gobi Desert in China when suddenly, a stray dog decided to join him. The little pup ran next to him. And during breaks, she followed him to his tent and they lay down next to each other.
Right at the very beginning, Dion realized he and the dog, which he named Gobi that night, already shared a bond. He gave her food and started to take care of her. She chose him for some reason, he said.
Dion believed their story was more than just a man meeting a dog. Gobi stuck by his side through the race. While she could have gone off during the 77-mile they ran of the race, she didn’t.
When the race ended, Dion called his wife and told her about Gobi. She was all up for it and told her husband to bring the dog home. But while Dion was ready to go back to the UK, Gobi had to wait in quarantine.
Someone offered to look after the dog while Dion flew back to Edinburgh to try and find out how he could bring Gobi home. Everything looked to set in place until he received a call telling him that the dog had gone missing. He was devastated and he felt the need to fly back to Urumqi to find his dog.
Dion asked for help from everyone he met. He had no luck during the first few days. But on the tenth, he received a call from someone claiming they found his dog.
As Dion walked into the Good Samaritan’s home, he saw a little dog running toward him. He was taken back to know it was Gobi. And she was equally ecstatic realizing the man in front of her was his new dad.
To make sure she won’t run away again, Dion decided to stay with Gobi during the quarantine. After five months, they were finally ready to fly home. It was a long journey and they enjoyed the time they spent together.
Gobi loves running and enjoys being out on the trails all the time. She runs a couple of miles with her dad each day. Every day is another journey and an incredible experience with her said her dad.
Credits to Dion Leonard