When Alice bought a young foal named Bonfire for her five-year-old son Jack, she hoped the horse would become a lifelong friend of his. Living on a family farm, she worried that Jack would feel isolated from other children. Despite her husband Greg’s reluctance, Alice brought Bonfire home, and the bond between Jack and the foal was instant.
As the two became inseparable, Jack began spending nights in Bonfire’s stable. The foal was sociable with people but displayed a different demeanor around other horses when Jack was present, becoming defensive and even aggressive. Bonfire also developed a habit of eating anything he could find, which often made him sick.
Three years later, when Bonfire became seriously ill, the family had to send him to a horse care center for recovery. The first night without Bonfire was difficult for the family, especially Jack. The next morning, Jack was nowhere to be found, and the police were called in to search for the missing boy.
Jack had disappeared without a trace leaving authorities and his parents concerned. Then, almost a week after Jack’s disappearance, a man from the horse rescue center called the police with a game-changing tip. Jack had been hiding in a bale of hay in Bonfire’s stable at the recovery center, unable to bear being apart from his best friend. The boy was brought back home, and the family was eventually allowed to bring Bonfire back as well.
Toledo, United States.
