DES MOINES, Wash. — A household is mourning their beloved member of the family, a four-legged furry pal, who is taken into account a hero by many throughout the state — and even internationally — following his bravery in February of 2018.
Rex, a German Shepherd also referred to as the “hero dog,” saved then-5-year-old Javier Mercado’s life throughout a home invasion on 234th Street in Des Moines.
While Mercado was finding out at home, three suspects broke into the home within the afternoon.
Julia Cadena, Mercado’s mom, who was at work and away from her cellphone on the time, stated she had acquired 79 textual content messages from her son that afternoon begging for assist.
Mercado hid contained in the closet of the main bedroom on the second ground and instantly referred to as 911. However, his trustworthy pal Rex stayed downstairs to confront the robbers.
While Mercado spoke with a 911 dispatcher, Rex fought the robbers downstairs.
The robbers later walked upstairs to the main bedroom the place they had been met with Rex once more, however this time, in entrance of the closet’s door with Mercado hidden on the opposite facet.
Cadena stated her son heard Rex battle the suspects, adopted by gunshots.
Rex was shot 4 occasions.
“I was just very scared,” Cadena stated. “I thought, ‘oh my goodness, they’re going to kill him.’”
“You never know how these people act,” she continued. “If they have the empowerment of getting inside your house without caring, who knows what else they can do once they’re in there. I feared for my son’s life; I was very scared for him.”
“My angel (Rex), I always say that this is an angel that God sent,” she shared.
KIRO 7 reached out to the Des Moines Police Department to see if officers had arrested anybody within the home invasion.
Police stated they are going to look into the case and get again with us.
Family fights to save lots of Rex
More than 5 years later, Rex, this time, relied on his household to save lots of his life.
“He was in pain. I’m in pain. He was telling me, ‘mom, just end my suffering,’ so I knew it was bad,” Cadena stated, as she described Rex within the veterinary hospital.
This previous week, Cadena stated her household had seen Rex regarded weak and couldn’t walk nicely.
They took Rex to a pet hospital in White Center, the place a veterinarian found their beloved canine had a dangerously low degree of crimson blood cells.
“They were thinking if we didn’t do anything, he was going to die that night,” Cadena recalled.
The household rushed Rex to a different hospital in Renton, the place a veterinarian confirmed Rex additionally had points along with his liver and spleen.
“The doctor said you can try other treatments, but you’re prolonging his suffering,” she stated.
Rex was put to sleep on Wednesday.
To Cadena and her household, Rex was not a person’s greatest pal — he was household.
And to them, he’ll at all times be.
“We’ll forever love you,” she added. “He was a good good, sweet boy.”
Rex was eight years old.
People throughout the globe supported Rex on-line as he fought for his life, Cadena instructed KIRO 7.
A GoFundMe that was created to assist Rex throughout his medical remedies had raised round $60,000. Cadena stated the money was used for his medical bills.
“Knowing that Rex needed something, and for what he did to save our son, the least thing I could do is try to save him.” Cadena added, “We want to thank all of the community, everywhere around the world, because people from everywhere donated for Rex.”
