A few weeks ago, on a Wednesday afternoon, 65 year old Richard Gillespe, the director and caretaker of Mattole Camp & Retreat Center in northern California, drove about two hours into Eureka to buy supplies. When he came back out of the store, he discovered his truck had been stolen. The worst part? His faithful companion, a redtick hound mix named Rusty, had been in the truck.
The search was on. Enter Jennifer Callen, an amazing friend with a giant heart. She took the story to the local media, who went right to work. Then she hit social media. Within the first hour of FB posts, 750 people shared the story. Within the next 24 hours, the number climbed to 10,000 shares. Compassionate people from all over the country were offering up their eyes and ears to find this treasured beast!
The good news? Richard and Rusty were re-united by the next Sunday. While there’s still no sign of the truck – a 1986 Blue Toyota 4-Runner with a black top and license plate No. 2BZU637 – thanks to the good work of many big-hearted people, Rusty is home where he belongs.