One of the top teams came from Sweden. Their captain was Mikael Lindnord.
On the fourth day, the team stopped at a checkpoint in the jungle. Mikael noticed a stray dog watching him.
The dog was in terrible shape. He was thin and dirty, with a deep wound on his back. Mikael gave him a meatball.
When the team moved on, the dog came too.
He kept going through mud holes, across rivers and up steep trails. The team shared their food with him and gave him a name: Arthur, after the king.
Then came the last stage, a long paddle by kayak. Race officials warned that taking a dog was too risky, so the team pushed off without him.
But Arthur jumped into the water and swam after them. Mikael couldn’t bear it. He pulled the dog into the kayak.
Arthur crossed the finish line with his team. They placed 12th.
But Mikael wasn’t leaving without him. After a lot of paperwork, Arthur flew home to Sweden, where he got the care he needed and a family that loved him. His story became a book and, in 2024, a Hollywood movie, “Arthur the King.”
One meatball. One loyal friend for life.
Has a dog ever chosen you? Tell us about it in the comments.
More stories you might love
He Was Born Without Eyes and Couldn’t Walk. So His Dad Pushed Him Through Every Step of the Marching Band
America Was Tired and Divided. So Johnny Cash Wrote a Song About an Old Flag, and It Came Out Faster Than He Could Write It Down
They Hunted Bombs Together in Afghanistan, Then Were Split Up Without a Goodbye. Four Years Later, the Marine Waited at the Airport