The German shepherd was swimming alone in the middle of the wide ocean when the sailors noticed it, but as they got closer, they noticed something dreadful.
An old, rusty ship sailed slowly ahead, laboring against the tide, as dark clouds gathered over the horizon and the wind churned up the waves, causing the water to become restless. Suddenly, one of the sailors standing on deck saw something strange as they looked across the water’s surface.
A sailor yelled, “Look over there!” and gestured with his hand. — “A dog is in the water!”
They all ran to the railing. Indeed, there was a German shepherd swimming by himself in the midst of the vast ocean in front of them. How could a dog get here? the sailors exchanged shocked glances.
— “He must be lost. “We must remove him,” the captain declared.
The ship started to approach gradually in order to bring the animal on board, but the dog abruptly stopped swimming in their direction upon spotting the humans. He swam resolutely in a different direction instead.
“What in the world…?” One of the seamen mumbled. The statement “He doesn’t want us to save him”
The sailors chose to follow because curiosity and worry overcame them. They followed the animal for a few minutes before they were startled by what they saw 
The remains of a wooden boat floated on the waves. People were struggling to keep afloat among the planks and splinters; they were weak, tired, and had dejected looks. They were barely able to resist the waves anymore.
— “People overboard!” the captain yelled.
The crew immediately launched into a rescue mission. They lowered nets, ropes, and an inflatable raft. The shipwrecked survivors, who could barely raise their arms any more, were hauled onboard by the sailors one by one.
Two teenagers and a woman were among those saved. The cold caused their lips to become blue and their faces to go pale.
The woman gave the drenched German shepherd, who had boarded last, a sorrowful embrace when everyone was finally on board. He proved to be their devoted dog.
Their boat smashed into pieces after being destroyed by an unexpected storm. Hours had been spent fighting the waves, and the people’s strength and optimism were ebbing away.
However, the dog had been the first to see the ship coming. He had swum toward it to attract the sailors’ notice because he knew that this was the only way to save his owners.
The woman sobbed and muttered, “He saved us… our hero.”
The sailors gazed at the animal in silence. Respect and appreciation gleamed in their eyes. Such loyalty had never been experienced by even the most experienced sailors, who had seen many miracles and catastrophes.
