This is Paco — our best pal and a beloved member of our family. We adopted him in 2020 in Oregon, and while we thought we were rescuing him, it turns out he actually saved us.

We were preparing to drive through the Samuel H. Boardman Corridor — a breathtaking but treacherous stretch of cliffside road with steep grades — when we received an email in an area with no cell service. That email led us to the South Coast Humane Society in Brookings, Oregon, where we decided to stop and meet a dog named Samuel instead of continuing on.

Samuel was shy and easily frightened, especially around men, so he was hesitant to warm up to me at first. But the moment we took him for a walk, we knew he was going to be part of our family. We brought him back to our van — our home on wheels at the time — and he seemed nervous, so we decided to take him to the beach to let him stretch his legs and get comfortable with us.

On the way there, we noticed our brakes beginning to fail. A pinhole leak had formed in the brake line. Had we continued into the Boardman Corridor instead of turning back for Paco, we would have experienced complete brake failure on one of the most dangerous roads on the Oregon coast — an outcome too frightening to imagine.

Paco saved our lives the day we brought him home. That's why we feel so deeply called to give back to the place that made our family whole.

Today, Paco — long since renamed — is a big brother to our two-year-old and a completely different dog than the timid, frightened pup we met that day. He just needed a loving home, and we're so grateful he found his way into ours.

If you can find it in your heart to donate even just one dollar to support the incredible people at South Coast Humane Society, it would mean the world to us — and to them. Thank you so much for your kindness.