Five years ago, Leo was found tied to a bench at a train station, sick with kennel cough and waiting for someone who never came back. I brought him home, and slowly his fear turned into trust. Today, he’s my loyal companion — a reminder that love can heal abandonment and that second chances change everything. Leo is my best friend and loves everyone he meets. Even at the hospital, as weak as he was, he insisted on visiting everyone in the waiting room, gently asking for pets and offering tail wags. That’s Leo — spreading love and comfort, even when he needed it most. Leo had diarrhea and vomiting for two weeks and wasn’t improving. Our vet diagnosed anemia and Ehrlichia, a tick-borne disease. After a few days on meds, he seemed better, then suddenly collapsed. At the emergency vet, his red blood cell count was dangerously low, and he needed a blood transfusion so I rushed him to FETCH Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centers for critical care. Leo’s hospital care has already cost over $7,000. As a college student, it’s overwhelming, but he’s my best friend. I’ll spend everything I have and do whatever it takes to get him the treatment he needs and bring him home healthy.