The prisoner’s last wish was to see his dog one final time—but as soon as the dog entered the cell, something strange happened.
His final request, before the ultimate sentence that would bring his life to an end, was simple: he wanted to see his German Shepherd again. The prisoner accepted his fate with quiet resignation.
For twelve long years, day after day, he had woken up in the cold cell B-17. He had been accused of taking a man’s life, and although he swore he was innocent, no one believed him.
In the beginning, he fought—he wrote complaints, filed appeals, hired lawyers—but with time, he gave up. All that was left was to wait for judgment.
The only thing that had occupied his thoughts during all those years was his dog. He had no family, no close friends. That German Shepherd wasn’t just a pet; she was his family, his friend, the only being he trusted. He had found her as a trembling puppy in an alley, and from that day on, they had been inseparable.
So when the warden handed him the form and asked what his last wish was, the man didn’t ask for a lavish meal, or cigarettes, or even a priest like so many others. He simply whispered:
“I want to see my dog. One last time.”
At first, the staff hesitated. Was this some kind of trick? But on the chosen day, before the sentence was to be carried out, they led him into the yard. Under the watchful eyes of the guards, he finally saw his dog again.
The moment she saw her master, the German Shepherd broke free from her leash and ran to him. In that instant, time stood still.
But what happened next stunned everyone. The guards froze, unsure of how to react.
The dog leapt into her master’s arms with such force, as if she were trying to make up for twelve lost years in a single moment. She nearly knocked him over. And for the first time in all those years, the prisoner felt no cold, no chains—only warmth.
He held her tightly, burying his face in her thick fur. The tears he had forbidden himself for so long finally burst free. He cried openly, without shame, like a child, while the dog whimpered softly, as if she too understood how little time they had left.
“You’re my girl… my faithful one…” he whispered, holding her tighter. “What will you do without me?”
His hands trembled as he stroked her back again and again, as though trying to memorize every detail. The dog gazed at him with eyes full of loyalty.
“Forgive me… for leaving you alone,” his voice cracked, hoarse with grief. “I couldn’t prove the truth… but to you, I’ve always mattered.”
The guards remained still, many turning their eyes away. Even the hardest among them couldn’t stay unmoved. Before them wasn’t a criminal, but a man who, in the final moments of his life, was clinging to the last piece of his world.
He lifted his eyes toward the warden and, with a broken voice, said:
“Take care of her…”
He asked the warden to take the dog into his home, promising he wouldn’t resist, that he would accept the sentence.
At that moment, the silence was unbearable. The dog barked again, loudly and sharply, as if protesting what was about to happen.
And the prisoner did only one more thing: he embraced her once more, holding her as only a man can when saying goodbye forever.