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A POOL IN RIO DE JANEIRO — This dog wants to swim, and not even his wheelchair will stop him.
There’s a swathe of things to love about this video: the laughter in the background; the mom’s shuffling panic as she grabs the falling deck chair; and most of all, this dog’s determination to join his friend in the pool — despite any amount of chaos it causes.
As Twitter user Humor and Animals explains, this beautiful golden pup’s name is Lion, and he’s battling cancer but looks to be having a great time while doing it.
Additionally, before anyone panics, Lion is clearly out of his wheelchair by the end of this video and swimming as usual. He enjoys the pool often, and the most recent photos from his family’s Instagram prove he (and his post-dive wheelchair) are both fine and somehow more adorable than ever.
Lion also appears to have his own lifejacket for less impromptu swimming sessions, but his reckless abandon and pure joy recorded in the video above retains a special place in my heart.
Lion’s story is an inspiration to me. Life brings physical and emotional hardships that will do everything to bring you down. But in those moments, sometimes we all just need to jump into the pool and enjoy the little things — despite any amount of ruckus it causes.
Long live Lion, the good boy that just wants to swim and be happy.
Have You Seen This?
Elephant packs its trunk for early morning wake-up call
It’s time to address the elephant in the room. Namely, the Asian elephant that is seen in a recent video ambling through a luxury hotel.
