This is the most extreme version ever of Homeward Bound.
A Swedish adventure racing team was stopped for a meal in Ecuador before the final two stages of a 430-mile race through the rainforest when they saw a miserable-looking stray dog. Mikael Lindnord, one of the racers, pitied the thing and tossed the dog a meatball to eat.
The dog, who the racers eventually named Arthur, then followed them for the rest of the grueling race, through deep jungle and mud on a 20-mile trek, even swimming alongside the team’s kayaks for one portion.
Arthur became the fifth member of the team. He made it to the finish line, then was cleaned up, got his shots, and brought back home to Sweden.
The story is almost beyond belief.
Before one of the segments of the race – a 36 mile kayak around the coast – organizers warned the team that taking Arthur along posed a risk to his and their safety.
They tried to set off without him, but as they left he jumped into the water beside them and started desperately paddling. Lindord, heartbroken by the site of Arthur struggling in the water, picked him up, put him in the kayak and let him stay for the rest of the journey.
The gesture prompted a standing ovation and cheers from spectators watching from the banks.
The team came in 12th, but Arthur is definitely my MVP for the entire race.
After the race was over, Arthur was cleaned up and brought home to Sweden, where we hope he gets some rest before his next big race.
(Thanks to The Daily Mail for sharing.)
