The Archer family could not believe it. It was a moment they had been waiting for years now. It felt like they were in a movie! There was no ignoring the reality now, no matter how amazing it appeared.
What started out as a picturesque retreat for the Archer family quickly It devolved into a disaster.
Marie and Tom Archer really wanted to get away with their two children, Brendan and Taysha. They decided to go to Japan to bond as a family but also to relax after a difficult few months.
It had been a dream of theirs for so long to visit Japan. The trip was planned for years, and it finally happened. They were so excited, but little did they know that this trip would change their lives forever.
This trip was especially important for Tom. After the family visited touristy spots such as Tokyo and Yokohama, something amazing happened for Tom.
The time finally arrived for Tom to see the location he had wished to visit since childhood. Tom could not believe that it was finally happening. His dream came true, and he got a new family member to show for it!
During World War II, Tom’s father served in Japan during his military career after the U.S military took over a Japanese base.
That is why visiting the place the harbor his father served at was so sentimental to Tom. He loved his father more than anything in the world and it was very special that he could share that moment with his family. They were greeted with an unexpected surprise not long after leaving the port…
Growing up, his father shared thousands of stories about the Yokosuka base and how the city felt like home to him. The family decided to visit a farmers market to buy some snacks while they were touring through the city.
They were huddled in a filthy passageway behind a market stall when they came across a small puppy. It was a pitiful sight, with its loud yelping and thin body.
People passed by the dog like it was not even there. The family felt heartbroken for the little pup. They had to do something to help him.
The family decided to keep him, and they named him ‘Kiseki’ which was the Japanese word for miracle. The family took their new pup to the vet to help his healing journey. After a few days of medicine, love, and loads of food, Kiseki was as good as new. But, unfortunately, the family’s joy was fleeting.
The family had been in Japan for weeks, enjoying every moment with Kiseki. All the papers for his adoption were in order but then something awful happened…
The boat journey back to mainland Tokyo, however, was doomed to failure. When Kiseki faced dangerous waters and gale-force winds accompanied by the howling weather, the unimaginable happened.
Kiseki was sitting close to the edge of the boat, and with the winds being as intense as they were, the little dog was blown overboard. The crew that worked on the boat proved to be no help, refusing to rescue the pup due to the dangerous conditions of the water.
In a matter of seconds, the family’s vacation ended in a nightmare. Kiseki was swept out to sea in a matter of minutes and was nowhere to be seen.
The family fell in love with Kiseki, and when they lost him they were heartbroken. Kiseki climbed into their hearts in a mere two weeks.
The family vowed to never forget him but after a few years, the family had no choice but to move on. Until one fateful day, when a chance encounter changed everything.
He maintained contact with a naval officer he’d met at Yokosuka. Once the officer learned of Tom Senior’s naval background, they communicated regularly.
Tom requested a few pictures from the base. When he received them he couldn’t help but notice a dog that looked eerily like their pup Kiseki…
Unbelievably, it was confirmed that this really was Kiseki. He had survived long enough that sad day, and was rescued by a U.S naval ship; now living on the base, he was in good health.
Tom knew at once that they had to go get him. Unknown to the Archers, this fateful story still had one more remarkable twist.
Unexpectedly reunited with Kiseki, they learned that he had been born on the base but had gotten lost. The officers let Tom tour the base and showed him photos of old naval officers.
Recognizing his father in one photo—Tom Senior stood next to a dog just like Kesiki. It turns out, Tom’s father had been the owner of “Yuki” (meaning good fortune), the great-grandfather of Kiseki.
This amazing story captured the hearts of many officers at the base. As the ‘miracle of Yokosuka’, it was decided that Kiseki should make his forever home with the Archers.
Once in the U.S, Kiseki’s transition from naval dog to a mainland pooch was seamless. According to his owners, he just “belonged”.
As unbelievable as this story was, it was not uncommon for military personnel to have dogs. Having K-9 units across the armed forces meant that many ‘handlers’ often forged close bonds with their furry colleagues.
In Yuki and Kiseki’s cases though, these bonds had transcended entire generations—Kiseki providing Tom an unusual way to connect with his father.
Tom Senior’s naval duty meant he had missed much of his son’s childhood. Stories of the Yokosuka base had been a means for them to bond.
Knowing Kiseki’s true heritage was especially sentimental. As Tom Senior had passed on a year before they first encountered Kiseki; the family’s unique bond with the miracle dog had transcended three K9 generations.
