Loyal dog sat at the same spot on driveway daily for seven years, waiting for one truck — his devotion broke his owner’s heart

Ever since the man retired, the duo grew closer each day, with the dog always by his side.

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

(L) A Dog Sitting on the Sidewalk,(R) Pickup Truck Parked on Western USA Roads. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Alexandre Morin-Laprise, (R) eyecrave productions)

Nothing in the world comes as close to a dog’s loyalty. Rufus, a pet dog adopted by a veteran, John, shared a unique bond with his master. He was all the dog had ever known since he was a puppy, and never left his side. A gut-wrenching story about his profound love for his owner surfaced as Rufus waited in the same spot on the driveway outside their home for seven years. He was waiting for a truck that belonged to his favorite human, but a tragedy changed his life forever.

Dog licking an old man. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Yurikr)

John’s daughter, Lydia Crochet, opened up about the inseparable bond the duo shared ever since he was brought home by her father and stepmom, Teresa. Ever since John retired, he and Rufus had only grown closer as the latter accompanied him in everything he did. “Dad had a shop behind the house that he loved to work in, fixing things, building things. He loved to work on cars out there, and Rufus was always with him in that shop,” Crochet told The Epoch Times. They would spend most of their time outdoors and enjoy every ounce of life around them. When John headed out in his truck, Rufus would sit in the driveway patiently waiting for him until he returned.

An elderly man lying in hospital bed (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Engin Akryut) — An elderly man lying in hospital bed. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Engin Akryut)

One day, the dog sat down to wait outside their home after he watched his owner leave. Unfortunately, Rufus continued doing so for the past seven years, but John never returned home. In January 2016, he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. There, the doctors discovered an “extremely rare anomaly” that complicated the recovery. He passed away 17 days later. “He lived a very active life, even served in the U.S. Army after high school,” said Crochet. Rufus was probably clueless about his owner’s death and decided to patiently wait for him near his truck parked in the driveway.

A graveyard. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Brett Sayles)

“I know Rufus sensed something was wrong. His mom was grieving, there were lots of grieving family members around, and he may have been confused since Dad’s truck was home,” she noted. The loyal dog never left the spot and sat facing the road even years after John’s passing, which broke his wife, Teresa’s, heart even more. Sometime later, even his truck was sold, but that failed to shake Rufus’ faith in his master’s return. The daughter shared that the dog would make his usual rounds in the yard, chasing animals, and eventually return to the same spot. “Rufus was well cared for, but he missed Dad. It was heartbreaking at times to see him waiting.”

A black dog sleeping on the ground (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Varavut Noovong) — A dog waiting on the ground. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Varavut Noovong)

The family loved and cared for Rufus, but he seemed to have found solace in waiting for his late owner. He would greet visitors, act friendly with neighbors, and lead a normal life, but with the void of John’s absence. He dedicated his life to loyalty towards John and passed away at 12 years old. After years of waiting, Rufus was finally reunited with his favorite human in heaven, the family believed.