What would you do if you were given a week to live? When this Texas man found himself staring death in the face, he was forced to decide how he’d spend his final moments. And when he finally announced his remarkable last wish, the community banded together to make it come true.
By the time he reached his 71st birthday, Richard Ewers was living outside San Antonio, Texas. He was a beloved figure in his community and, despite an ailing body, he kept himself busy with a few friends.
See, only a few years before he turned 71, Richard walked outside his home to an alarming sight: a stranger left several dogs on his property before taking off without a word! Both concerned and confused, he did the unthinkable.
He adopted them — all of them — and over the next two years, Richard fed and cared for all the dogs, making his house a little canine sanctuary. But as soon as he was done making room, he got another surprise.
Some of the female pooches dropped on his doorstep were pregnant! You can imagine his surprise when he discovered the number of dogs in his house was about to skyrocket.
Specifically, once all the puppies were born, Richard was left caring for about 40 dogs! To take care of so many dogs required a lot of energy, but Richard didn’t shy away from the challenge. Still, some issues proved to be nearly too much.
For instance, a raging Texas fire nearly reached his property. The 71-year-old wasn’t exactly ready to evacuate more than three dozen pooches from his house. The dogs themselves caused some trouble, too.
Put 40 dogs into a room, and there are bound to be a few howling contests, which was a fact Richard’s neighbors likely detested. He received several police citations because of loud noises. Eventually, he admitted he needed some help.
Providing a home for dozens of dogs was daunting, but Richard’s neighbors stepped up to help. Volunteers from his community and rescue shelters helped pay for vet visits; eventually, they helped him find homes for 13 dogs. Life was good — until Richard visited the doctor.
It was in the sterile office that Richard received a diagnosis no one should have to face. He had stomach cancer, doctors told him, and he didn’t have long to live. Naturally, Richard’s mind went to one place.
All those pooches, Richard knew, would soon be without a home if he passed away. When the news spread, his community was distraught. Locals knew that Richard couldn’t care for so many dogs at the same pace as before. Something had to be done.
So volunteers set up a Facebook page with a goal to find homes for the remaining 27 pooches. Because of the page, titled “Helping Mr. Richard and His Dogs,” people turned out in droves to make a difference.
Some people donated appliances so Richard could take better care of his dogs. Local businesses chipped in and helped him tow an RV out of his yard and put up fencing so the pups could have a safe place to play outside!
But best of all, people showed up to adopt Richard’s beloved dogs. Nearly everyone who went home with a dog shared their pooch’s photo on the Facebook page. Things were looking up…until tragedy struck for a second time.
Richard’s cancer was progressing, and in 2019 doctors had some gut-wrenching news: he only had about a week left to live. Curiously, the news didn’t panic or upset the dog lover.
Instead, he used his remaining time to fulfill his surprising selfless last wish: to find homes for the remaining eleven dogs still living in his house. But he needed even more help from his community.
They knew the situation was grim: “We are all very saddened by this, of course,” said Mary Oyler from Save Our Strays San Antonio. “We want to make that last wish come true for him.”
With 11 dogs still needing homes, the community knew everyone would have to work hard to find them all homes before Richard passed. Time wasn’t on their side, and if they didn’t find homes for them, they’d get seized by the county!
“It would add a lot more stress to what they’re going through already,” said Mary. “Not having Mr. Richard here, there’s confusion, there’s loneliness, there’s depression.”
By May 2019, the group was hopeful they could finish Richard’s work. Once they started, they secured homes for several of the pups, and they knew there were plenty more families out there looking for a furry friend.
Richard’s surprising gesture inspired a community to come together for a good cause. “You’ve got to love animals to do this type of stuff,” said Mary. “He clearly cared for them and loved them.” Richard made those final days count, and showed us that it’s never too late to make a difference.
