We all know how touching it is when a kind-hearted person chooses to adopt a child who needs love.
These stories always remind us that everyone needs a family – including animals.
Just like this little turtle.
It has a rare condition ever since it was born but life has given her hope.
Her name – which is Hope really suits her. She is a tiny turtle born with a hole in her shell, exposing her heart.
Instead of scales, her heart is only protected by a thin membrane, which makes her extra vulnerable to her surroundings. You can visibly see Hope’s heart pumping as you look underneath her shell.
Aside from that, the turtle was also born with a case of albinism, which means Hope’s skin and shell coloration appear unnaturally pale. Because of her albinism, Hope was born with red glowing eyes as well.
A man knew that he needs to change Hope’s life.
So he took her home. He is a 30-year-old man named Mike who was able to meet this peculiar turtle from a breeder that he knew. The breeder told Mike everything about the turtle. He decided to ask Mike to take her home as the breeder couldn’t take care of Hope nor sell her to his customers.
Since Mike was only given a day, he spent that time thinking about what is the best possible setup for the tiny turtle. With the given time, Mike was able to secure an aquarium with a water filter, a mossy piece of wood, and even a small heater to assure that the new turtle would feel at home.
It wasn’t easy for Mike but he was willing to endure it for the sake of the turtle.
The moment Mike got Hope, he noticed how small she was; the turtle was just slightly bigger than a quarter. He also took his time to observe the small hole on Hope’s shell and her exposed heart.
“When I look at it, it looks like a raisin underneath a piece of gum,” Mike told The Dodo.
Hope and Mike’s favorite thing to do is bonding during Hope’s feeding time. The moment Hope sees Mike coming home from work, she gets excited as she knows that it’s time for her to be fed.
“I was really scared to touch her at all just because she’s so small and delicate, and because of how big I am,” Mike said. “I don’t want to handle her a lot so I’m just using tongs to feed her.”
Hope has found the genuine love she deserves from Mike.
As Hope is clueless about her condition, Mike gives her a chance to live a normal life, showering her with proper care.
Mike was glad to see the turtle live her life worry-free as he tries his best to make sure that Hope is living healthily and happily in her new home.
“It makes me happy that I get to be the one that’s taking care of her,” shared Mike.
Mike has proven that selflessness can change the lives not only of a person but also of animals like Hope.
If you want to see more of Hope’s journey with Mike, make sure to follow them on Instagram.
It’s nice that Mike regularly gives his followers updates about Hope where we can all see that he has been taking care of him with all his heart.
Learn more about their adorable story in the video below.
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