For three long months, Rustico Samson Jr. and his family lived a nightmare.

Their beloved dog, Coco, had gone missing from their home in the Philippines. And while they searched for him daily, Coco was nowhere to be found.

“I cried. There was so much sorrow, so much pain,” Samson told The Dodo. “Coco is more than a pet. He’s family.”

But as months passed, Samson never gave up looking.

Every day that Coco was lost, Samson scoured the city for any sign of him.

“I searched every corner,” he said. “I even cried as I searched.”

Samson enlisted the help of friends and people that he’d meet, describing Coco and asking them to be on the lookout. And sure enough, that persistence paid off.

Three months after Coco disappeared, a stray dog who fit his description was spotted in a parking garage — so Samson rushed to the spot.

“Right at that moment, when I saw a dog lying on the floor of that parking garage, I knew it was him,” Samson said. “I was a thousand times sure that it was Coco.”

What happened next left no doubt:

“I was overwhelmed. I was so happy,” Samson said. “I think Coco felt the same way at that moment. You could hear him crying like a baby.”

Their hearts were suddenly healed.

The months that Coco lived on the streets as a lost dog had taken their toll. He was skinny and dirty, but otherwise healthy. Fortunately, it was nothing the love of his family couldn’t heal.

Having Coco back home changed everything.

“The house is full of positive auras again,” Samson said. “Good vibes are back.”

Samson would have never stopped looking for Coco. But thankfully, now his search is over.

“When it comes to having a pet, it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, as long as you have heart and love to them like family,” he said. “When someone in your family is lost, you never give up.”