A heartwarming photo of a man embracing his dog in the water has been seen around the world. INSIDE EDITION spoke with the man, John Unger to get the story behind the photo.
Every picture tells a story and the back story behind the remarkable image of a man and his dog that has gone viral will touch your heart.
The photo of a dog named Schoep and his owner embracing has become a phenomenon. Schoep is a 17-year-old shepherd mix and he suffers from the usual ailments that come with old age for a dog, mainly arthritis, making it a struggle for him to walk.
Schoep's owner, John Unger, carries his beloved dog into Lake Superior in Wisconsin for a dip every day. In the water is where a remarkable thing happens, the buoyancy of the water makes the old dog feel young again.
Unger and Schoep sometimes stay in the water for an hour.
A photographer captured this special relationship in an amazing photo and posted it on the internet. Unger's sister-in-law, Julie, couldn't believe it when the photo went viral and was seen around the world.
Julie told INSIDE EDITION, "That photo captured a moment, a moment of pure contentment and love and surrender and just bliss."
Unger and Schoep go way back. Schoep had been an abused pup when he was rescued by Unger at an animal shelter back in 1996. Judging from the photo, Unger would do anything to make an old dog's sunset years just a little more pleasant.
Unger told INSIDE EDITION, "If Schoep were to pass away tonight, of course I'd be sad, but I'd be also just as joyous as I am today because of the gift Schoep has given the world."
