Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/desert-stranded-duo/

Can’t a guy just celebrate his birthday with his mom in peace?

A man from Arizona planned a trip to El Paso, Texas to celebrate his 54th birthday with his mom and things didn’t quite go the way he wanted it to.

Mario Castro was on his way to his mother’s house when his trip took a turn for the worse. “I called my mom, I told her I’m just an hour and a half away. I’ll be right there,” Castro said in an interview. But Castro didn’t make it to his mom’s house.

Castro missed his exit on the highway, took the next one, and unfortunately hit a rock when he tried to turn around on the road, causing his car to get stuck on a dirt path. Stranded somewhere in New Mexico and with nothing else to do, Castro and his 14-year-old dog, Zoe, got out of the car to search for help.

Castro and his dog ended up walking for almost a week through harsh terrain and climate.

“It was very difficult, I was almost at the verge of death. I would get so thirsty, I would become dehydrated, but then I would find a watering hole, and get some water, and rehydrate again and then head out again,” Castro said.

On the sixth day of being stranded, Castro said that it felt like it was his last day. He said that his dog’s eyes had sunk in and that he felt like it was her last day too. The duo hunkered down underneath a tree and resorting to making an SOS sign with fire, Castro was able to complete about half an ‘S’ when he finally saw another sign of life, both literally and figuratively.

Frank Martinez and his wife happened to be exploring the desert’s off-road trails. At first, Martinez was hesitant to stop for Castro as the area, according to locals, is said to have been known for illegal activities, but he changed his mind after seeing Castro struggle to follow their white truck.

“I saw he was dragging his feet. Carrying some old boots, maybe clothing, and struggling to follow me so I stopped,” Martinez said. “I saw in the mirror, he was eating and drinking like if he hadn’t eaten or drank in days. So that’s when I knew it was serious, what I’d seen.”

The couple helped Castro and Zoe and drove the duo to a nearby hotel. But the Martinez couple’s kindness didn’t end there. It just so happened that Frank Martinez is a mechanic and they visited Castro the very next day to retrieve the stuck car and offered to fix it.

Watch the interview below.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog