SerpApi.Org
Some bonds become part of a community.
For years, people in Rocky Mount saw 70-year-old Gonzalo Perez riding his bicycle with his dog, Oso, by his side. The two were inseparable — a familiar sight to neighbors who watched their friendship unfold day after day.
On Tuesday morning, 70-year-old Gonzalo Perez was riding his bicycle on Thomas A. Betts Parkway in Rocky Mount when he was struck by a car. He was airlifted to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville. Family members told WRAL Perez is on life support.
To many in Rocky Mount, Gonzalo Perez was simply "Gonzales." He was rarely seen alone.
Everywhere Perez went, Oso followed. Community members said the dog often stayed close to his bicycle, walking alongside him through town.
“I observed them a lot,” said William Manley, a Rocky Mount resident who photographed the pair over the years. “I would watch them cross the street. The dog would go first and look both ways for him. Many days you could find the two just taking a nap in the community.”
Sadly, Perez had been hospitalized several times over the years. During those stays, community members said Oso could often be found waiting outside the emergency room entrance, refusing to leave until his owner returned.
In February, someone sent WRAL a photo showing a makeshift shelter built for Oso as he waited outside the hospital doors. Nearby, Perez's bicycle remained parked, keeping the faithful dog company as he waited for his forever friend to come back.
Oso was by Perez’s side when he was struck Tuesday morning. Based on what community members have shared since the crash, Oso appears to have made it back home unharmed.
Now, as Perez fights for his life, Oso is waiting again.
In Rocky Mount, the same community that embraced the bond between Perez and his dog is now caring for Oso at home. Volunteers are feeding him, checking on him and making sure he is not alone.
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