There’s nothing stronger than the bond between a person and their dog. When Adri Pendleton was just 15 years old, she and her border collie Nellie hit it off right away. They grew up side by side and were inseparable.
The friendship between them continued even when Adri moved to the Netherlands with her then boyfriend. They were very happy together! But after some time, Adri and her boyfriend broke up.
Although this was the right decision, it made things much more difficult: Adri was disabled and could not live alone. The girl had to return to California to live with her family.
Her ex-partner was happy to help her with the expenses for returning to her hometown, but it was not enough for Nellie to fly across the world with her owner.
The dog was 15 years old at the time. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with epilepsy, and a vet recently discovered that she had a small heart murmur. For these reasons, the dog could not be placed in the cargo hold.
She was allowed to travel in the cabin, but no airline would accept a dog of that size.
After considering all the options, including transatlantic flights, there was only one left: a private flight that would carry Nellie in the cabin. But where could Adri find a private jet, and how much would it cost?
A stranger named Niklas fell in love with Adri the dog. So much so that he was willing to offer them a free flight on a private jet! However, they needed help to cover the many additional expenses.
Luckily, many people around the world quickly donated money to make this trip possible!
Back in the US, Adri was able to start a new life with her family and dogs. Her new dog Loki got along great with Nellie. In fact, Adri and Niklas continued to communicate!
They talked for several hours every day and very soon even started a long-distance relationship!
Adri was incredibly grateful to her family and Niklas for their support. This was especially important when her beloved dog Nellie died.
Adri was saddened by this loss, but she did not stop thinking that Nellie had connected her with Niklas before she left. The young people communicated more often, but the distance between them made things much more difficult.
Adri wasn’t the only one who liked Niklas – even the girl’s family was happy to have him in her life! So it’s no surprise that Adri decided to return to Europe so they could see each other more often!
Adri and Loki had to part for a while, but soon the dog will also move to Switzerland to Niklas!
Adri could never have imagined that a kind pilot who helped her dog would change her life so much. She was incredibly grateful to fate for such a gift.
“Niklas says he’s trying to be a stepfather to Loki. It’ll be a while before I have to choose which of the two I miss the most,” Adri shares. “But [Nelly] still misses me every day. Thank you for everything, my old friend.”
