When the vet said Rex had only a few weeks left, Mr. Hoa didn’t ask questions. He simply looked at his old dog, curled up by his feet, breathing heavy but wagging his tail. Rex had been with him for nearly 13 years — through monsoon rains, through scorching mountain sun. They didn’t need words. Mr. Hoa knew: Rex deserved a farewell where he had once been happiest.

The next morning, Mr. Hoa borrowed an old wheelbarrow, lined it with a warm blanket, gently placed Rex inside, and began the slow climb up the mountain trail. It was the same path where Rex used to run every morning, chasing butterflies and rolling in dewy grass.

The journey was over 3 kilometers long, steep and uneven. Mr. Hoa’s hands trembled from the strain, but he never complained. At each stop, he stroked Rex’s head and whispered, “We’re almost there, old friend.”

They reached the summit just as the morning sun broke through the clouds. Mr. Hoa laid his coat on the grass, placed Rex down facing the valley — the spot where, when healthy, Rex would sit and watch the sunset.

Rex couldn’t speak, but his eyes shimmered with gratitude. He rested his head on Mr. Hoa’s hand, exhaled slowly… and gently closed his eyes.

Mr. Hoa didn’t cry. He just sat there for a long time, hand resting on Rex’s back, holding onto the last warmth of his best friend.

Most people think farewells are painful. But sometimes, they can be quiet, tender, and full of love — enough to carry an old man and his dog up a mountain, just to say goodbye.