A gorgeous Labrador looked completely overjoyed on being reunited with his owner nearly a month after vanishing during a tornado.
The dog, called Linus, appeared to smile as he saw owner Curtis Bush for the first time since the March 15 twister that destroyed their home in Tylertown, Mississippi.
That storm destroyed the family’s home, left Bush’s young son in a wheelchair and killed their other dog.
They feared Linus had been killed too – but thankfully, there was one bit of happy news to cheer them up after weeks of anguish.
It came after Bush contacted the Mississippi Animal Project, a nonprofit that works to protect animals in the state.
The nonprofit then contacted Jason Miller, a drone specialist and filmmaker with Raven 6 Rising.
Miller used thermal technology to scan the nearby area for any sight of the dog and videotaped his journey attempting to locate the lost lab.
As he scanned the area, Miller whispered to himself, ‘Please let me find this dog.’ Suddenly, the drone operator saw a yellow lab walking alone in the wilderness.
‘Oh my gosh, is that him?!’ Miller muttered in disbelief.
Once he zoomed in and confirmed that the dog was indeed was Linus, Miller burst into tears and called Bush immediately.
Miller told Bush his lab’s location and the excited dog owner hopped into the car to reunite with his pup.
Raven 6 Rising documented the experience and said the journey was more than just a testament to the success of the technology.
‘It’s about compassion, connection, and the hope of reuniting loved ones,’ they said.
Miller recalled the moment he saw Linus to Inside Edition, ‘The emotion that you saw on film where I actually broke down and started crying – it was real.’
Bush said that it was ‘exhilarating’ to see Linus running toward him and he was relieved that his lab only had minor injuries.
He told local NBC affiliate, WDAM, that he believed God was drawing his family closer to Linus.
Even though the tornado took their home, Bush told the outlet, ‘We will rebuild. This won’t take us out.’
Bush’s wife and son were hospitalized after they sustained injuries from the tornado destruction, but are back home recovering.
The family is staying in a camper that was gifted to them until they find a permanent home.
Miller said he was honored to reunite the family with their dog, telling WDAM, ‘That moment was one of my top moments to be blessed and witness that firsthand.’
The Mississippi Animal Project praised Miller’s work, writing on their website, that Linus’s survival story was ‘extraordinary.’
‘Jason’s compassion and dedication shine through as he works tirelessly to reunite lost pets with their families,’ they added.
The nonprofit added that Linus was ‘thriving’ since his tremendous rescue and continues to recover with his family by his side.