Dog Missing for 11 Years Finally Makes It Home Just in Time to Comfort Grieving Family

Over a decade ago, Marzena Niejadlik’s brother passed away, a loss that took its toll on the entire family.

Looking for a little levity and healing, Niejadlik brought home an adorable Yorkshire terrier puppy named Rex.

“We were all devastated, and I kind of was thinking that maybe getting a dog … will maybe bring some cheer into our family, especially to my mom,” Niejadlik told WBZ-TV.

But someone else found the pup irresistible too and swiped it a few months later after it sneaked out of the house.

But life went on. Years passed. Niejadlik had lost hope of ever reuniting with Rex until this week, when she got a very unexpected call.

Rex had been stolen in Boston. On Wednesday, an elderly Yorkie was found by Stoughton Animal Control officer Michelle Carlos, around 20 miles from Boston.

The old dog — who was in rough shape and desperately needed a bath and a good meal — had a microchip, and the chip led to Niejadlik.

She could hardly believe the news when Animal Control called to tell her Rex was still alive.

“Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney & Universal Studios may we have your attention please? You have never created a movie with this type of incredible ending,” the Stoughton Police Department shared on Facebook.

“Before we go on we’d like to put a warning out to those who shed a tear or two while watching movies about animals. You may want to prepare for it to get a bit dusty up in here.”

The post went on to describe how Carlos brought the 12-year-old dog in and contacted its original family.

“Marzena quickly came to meet ACO Carlos at the Stoughton Police Department where the two were reunited for the first time in over a decade.

“Marzena reports that Rex had a great night at their home and loved meeting her kids. He was treated to a day of beauty and all is right in world.

“Let’s all have a good cry now, get it all out. ACO Carlos would like to stress the importance of microchipping your pets. This reunification is one for the ages and wouldn’t have happened with out this technology!!”

Niejadlik told WHDH-TV that the reunion has been a major highlight of her life.

The timing of Rex’s return is extraordinary, too, as Niejadlik’s other brother passed away two months ago.

“We got him after, you know, the first tragedy,” she said. “And now he’s back after second one, you know, to help us deal with this loss.”

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Amanda holds an MA in Rhetoric and TESOL from Cal Poly Pomona. After teaching composition and logic for several years, she’s strayed into writing full-time and especially enjoys animal-related topics.

As of January 2019, Amanda has written over 1,000 stories for The Western Journal but doesn’t really know how. Graduating from California State Polytechnic University with a MA in Rhetoric/Composition and TESOL, she wrote her thesis about metacognitive development and the skill transfer between reading and writing in freshman students.
She has a slew of interests that keep her busy, including trying out new recipes, enjoying nature, discussing ridiculous topics, reading, drawing, people watching, developing curriculum, and writing bios. Sometimes she has red hair, sometimes she has brown hair, sometimes she’s had teal hair.
With a book on productive communication strategies in the works, Amanda is also writing and illustrating some children’s books with her husband, Edward.

Location

Austin, Texas

Languages Spoken

English und ein bißchen Deutsch

Topics of Expertise

Faith, Animals, Cooking