Dogs are known for being loyal to their owners but the story of this 72-year-old man's journey proves that owners can be just as loyal to their pets.
Maximo "Kalipayon" Delima, a native of Ormoc, Leyte in the Philippines travelled to General Santos City in Mindanao when he was just 20 years old to look for opportunities.
For the last five decades, he has not been able to return home. Realising that he was getting old and wanted to spend the remainder of his life close to his relatives and loved ones, he decided to return to his hometown.
But there was a problem. Max had adopted 10 dogs who became his only family in the city and he would need to leave them behind if he was going to travel by bus. According to CoolBuster, Maximo could not bear the thought of giving them up for adoption so instead of leaving his pets, he chose to start the 450-mile journey to Ormoc on foot, with his dogs in tow.
With only a cart filled with his belongings, Max started walking from General Santos City on March 9. After walking for 100 kilometers, he reached Tagum City early this week where curious citizens asked him about the six obedient dogs in his company.
They learned that Maximo already traversed Digos City and Davao City and was headed to Butuan where he planned to sail by ship via the Nasipit Agusan del Norte or Surigao City. He told them that sadly, four of his beloved pets died along the way, as they fell into a ravine while walking at night in Baluyan, Davao del Sur.
Netizens who were impressed by Maximo's devotion to his pack have touted him "Journey Max" and started sharing his story online. The Davao Pet Lovers (DPL) Facebook page has started monitoring his location and a fund raiser to help meet his needs while other organisations like the Dog Owners of Tagum City have helped him and his dogs by giving them rides.
Samaritans are continuing to help the old man fulfil his wish of getting home. After his story was picked by a major news network, the local government of Tagum City promised to shoulder the cost of Max and his pack's transportation costs to Ormoc, Leyte.
