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8-Year-Old Disappears Every Night, So Dad Secretly Follows Him

8-Year-Old Disappears Every Night, So Dad Secretly Follows Him November 12, 2022Leave a comment

A Change

Barry had a strange feeling that something was off with his son. He wasn't his usual self. He seemed like he had something on his mind.

The little boy always seemed to be tired. His father noticed that he had been coming home quite late recently and wondered why. He didn't expect to see what he did when he followed him one day.

Well Brought-Up

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If you saw Ken Amante, you would think he was like any regular 8-year-old boy. He was a simple young lad who lived a quiet, humble life in the small area of Davao in the Philippines. He was a disciplined son and always used to help his father around the house.

Because he was so well-behaved and trustworthy, his parents trusted him. He walked to and from school and knew how to handle money. But recently, he had been away from home, and his father was worried.

Making Money To Survive

Metro

It wasn't a perfect time for business, so Barry wasn't making a regular income. He ran a small panel-beating shop out of his garage. It was a family business, as his father had taught him the skills of being a mechanic.

Barry was accustomed to living on a budget. He was a hard worker and never gave up trying to provide everything for his family.

What Are You Doing

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Barry thought it important to teach his son how to earn money. He often gave him pocket money to learn how to take care of himself.

Recently he saw that his son never had any money. He used to save every penny in a small piggy bank. But his father noticed that he hadn't been putting the money inside. Little did he know what the boy was spending his money on.

After School Sighting

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It was a quiet day at the shop, and Barry was able to fetch Ken from school. He patiently waited to see his little boy while sipping on a coffee. He heard the school bell ring, and after a few minutes, he saw his boy's smiling face.

Barry was so glad to see his son. He was about to walk over to him when he saw something that sent shivers down his spine. A strange man was standing directly behind his son.

Stranger Danger 

TheQueensSchool YouTube

Barry screamed for his son. His voice was muffled by a loud truck just driving in front of him. He tried to cross, but now the car blocked him. He couldn't see his son. Who was that man?

Barry looked left and right. Finally, the truck moved out of the way. Would his son still be there?

False Alarm

Trucks YouTube

The truck pulled away and revealed the little boy. Ken was there. The tall stranger was nowhere to be seen. Barry breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to show his son any fear.

Barry ran up to him and put his arms on his shoulders. "How was your day, son?" he asked. Ken responded in a merry way, talking about his friends. Barry questioned further, "and that old man standing behind here now? "I'm not sure," he said, "but I have seen him; maybe he's my friend's grandad." Barry's heart calmed.

No Changed Behaviour

Metro

Ken seemed to be regular in his routine every morning. But one thing was still bothering his father. He was still staying out late. Sometimes later than he was even allowed to. Where was this child going?

Barry's mind had been put to rest about the older man. He thought there was another reason for the boy staying out so late. He asked him. But the boy just shrugged his shoulders.

Father Turned Spy

Pinterest

Barry decided to find his answer once and for all. Today he kept his garage door open and waited for Ken to return from school. What would he do if he found out the truth? He peeped through the garage door. Barry saw his son come home at his usual time.

He seemed to be in a rush, as though he had something else t do. What on earth could an 8-year-old need to do? Barry was burning with questions.

Following Close After

Pinterest

Barry was still trying to fathom what could be important to his son. He noticed that he had changed his school clothes and taken an empty backpack. "Was he going to collect something?" the father thought.

He wanted to follow his son to find out his plans. He waited to be out of eyesight and walked behind him. What he was going to discover would make him change how he thought about his son.

Nighttime's Coming

Reddit

Instead, little Ken went the opposite way. Armed with his backpack and whatever was inside, he headed down the street. 

But the sun was about to set, and everybody knew not to be out in these parts of the neighborhood at this time of night. Barry felt sick to his stomach. And he knew time was running out. 

Bad Area

Reddit

As Ken kept walking, all the nice corner cafes started evolving into liquor stores, junkyards, and pawn shops. The area was getting worse as he kept walking.

Barry didn't understand why he would be going into these neighborhoods. What was his kid doing? Barry feared the worst. No eight-year-old should be wandering into these places.

Observing

Reddit

Barry started walking closer to his son in this neighborhood, but he still tried to remain invisible to Ken. To his surprise, his son started walking down a side road. Then he observed Ken stop on an empty road

As barry continued to watch his son, he slowly crouched down just above the cracked road. This is when Barry saw his boy take something out of the backpack.

Father's Intuition

Reddit

MetroBarry's curiosity spiked as he watched his son. What was he doing? What did he get out of the backpack? Barry knew he should come out and make himself known to Ken and protect him from whatever was about to happen, but Barry stood frozen in his tracks. 

Then, suddenly there was a subtle sound from the bushes. Barry saw movement out of the corner of his eye. 

Fight Or Flight 

Metro

As Barry watched his son, suddenly, out of nowhere, three beasts jumped out of the bushes, their growl echoing throughout the grimy side street. 

They slunk towards his son and surrounded him. Barry couldn't comprehend what was going on. But he snapped out of it and let his intuition guide him -- he sprinted towards his boy.

Not The Best Condition

Youtube

When Barry reached his son, he started to scare the strays away. Then he looked down at the ground and saw cans of dog food on plates.

The strays weren't in a healthy state. They looked starved and had tufts of hair gone. "I'm embarrassed to say I was pretty disgusted," Barry admitted. But Ken was about to show him the kindness he never thought anyone had.

The Truth Comes Out

Happy Animals Club

The pups, which Ken had named Brownie, Whitey, and Blackie, happily tucked into their food, tails wagging. Ken looked up to see his dad's stern face. He owed him an explanation.

The little boy came clean, explaining that he had used his pocket money to buy as much dog food as possible. Every day for two weeks, he had come to this spot to feed the stray dogs. Barry was awestruck. He knew he had to share what he had witnessed.

A Change Of Heart

Metro

In February 2014, Barry snapped the now-famous picture of his son feeding the strays and posted it on Reddit, where it soon caught the attention of animal lovers around the world.

"My son changed my perspective entirely," he wrote. He was touched by his son's selfless actions But, he was also concerned for Ken's health. So, the father and son reached a compromise.

A Compromise

Metro

As the dogs are strays, Barry was worried that they carried diseases, such as mange. He told his son that he would buy the food for the dogs on the street on one condition: Ken would have to go for a rabies vaccine and carry disinfectant in his backpack.

Meanwhile, Barry's post on Reddit was gaining traction. The father and son could never have anticipated the world's response.

A Little Boy With Big Dreams

Metro

Ken told his dad that his dream was to open an animal shelter to look after the neglected animals living on the streets of Davao. So, after seeing the incredible response to his Reddit post, Barry decided to create a website for Ken called Happy Animals Club.

He also allowed Ken to bring Blackie, Whitey, and Brownie home to care for them, and soon, they were running a small shelter from their garage. After months of hard work, the full-size Happy Animals Club was open for business. The shelter now holds two large pens, two apartments, and an annex! But Ken's story isn't the only one of its kind.

Welcome To Alaska 

Pexels

A similar incident took place across many miles in a small town in Alaska, United States. Thirty-five-year-old single parent Jody Summers realized her seven-year-old son was acting differently.

Mikey, who had a twin sister, Freya, wasn't known to be cheeky. But one evening, his mom went to the backyard to call him and his sister for dinner. Although she found Freya, Mikey was nowhere to be seen.

An Adventurer At Heart

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The little boy had always loved adventure. Sometimes, this love blinded him to the world's dangers. How often had he strayed away from his family at the mall, and how many times did Jody insist that he come home directly after alighting from the school bus?

Of late, Mikey had changed his behavior, listening to his mom whenever she warned him against something. Everything was about to change.

Where's Mikey?

Pexels

The evening the incident occurred, Jody found Freya alone in their backyard. The little girl's doe eyes were stuck on a gaping hole in the fence, her brows furrowed, and her tiny lips trembling. 

Jody asked her where Mikey was, and when Freya pointed at the hole, she knew something terrible had either happened or was a second away from happening.

Follow The Boy

Pexels

She called out for her boy, knowing well what lay on the other side of their fence. When no answer came, Jody ran into the house for her coat. She picked one for Mikey as well, alongside a flashlight.

After ensuring Freya was okay, she stormed into the darkening neighborhood. She hoped her little adventurer was alright.

An Overnight Change

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Jody loved her son very much, but sometimes he gave her the worst headaches. Over the past few months, his behavior had changed for the better, and although his curiosity still burnt bright, he did well to play within the rules Jody had set for him. 

So she couldn't understand why he'd left the confines of their neighborhood when she had warned him against doing such a thing. She couldn't even explain how the hole had appeared in their fence.

Beyond The Fence

Pexels

Jody hurried past her gate, turning into the thick woods beyond her fence. It's there that her little adventurer had ventured into. 

Shaking herself as her mind started interpreting the darkening crooked tree branches as towering monsters, Jody dashed after her baby boy. Her anger had morphed into hot searing fear, and her veins were choked full of worry and anxiety.

Into The Woods

Pexels

Although the woods beyond Jody's home housed few wild animals, none of them were ever a danger to society. But there were usually cases where wolves and even bears strayed too close to civilization. 

As it was almost nightfall, Jody knew dangerous creatures showed up at such times. She couldn't understand why Mikey would break the rules at such a time. What she'd find would send her beating heart down to her feet.

Following Him

Pexels

Jody raced amid creaking trees and crunching leaves. She called out for Mikey, her flashlight lighting her way as she ran through the foliage. 

A scream rented the air, pulling her to a stop. It was Mikey. She called out for him, a sickening panic washing over her. What was happening to her little boy?

Finding Him

Pexels

Jody called for Mikey again, and the answer was a frantic 'mom,' dunked in fear and distress. Jody's mom's instincts kicked in, and she dashed toward the voice. 

She found Mikey sitting against a tree trunk. In his hand were two tiny malamute puppies, each malnourished but energetically licking his face. Jody's heart dropped when she noticed something else.

Taking Them Home 

Pexels

Mikey wasn't crying because of the fear of being hurt but because one of the puppies had an injured foot. He pleaded with Jody to help, saying he'd been feeding the two stray puppies for three weeks through the fence after finding them wandering the streets.

Jody took him and his puppies back home. Since the pups didn't have any tags or anyone looking for them, she and her family took them in. It has been years since the family opened their doors to the two fur balls of joy, and Jody is more than thankful they did. It is amazing what we can learn from kids. 

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.