On his 30th birthday, Rafael Mantesso’s wife left him. She took everything in the divorce: the furniture, the photos, appliances.
All she left Rafael with was an empty apartment with bare white walls and their beloved dog, Jimmy Choo.
With nothing but a bull terrier as his companion, Rafael managed to turn his life around.
The relationship between dog and human is always unbreakable. Just take a look at how Badgi protects Rommel, a homeless boy living on the streets. Even in adversity, man’s best friend is always there to watch over us.
Inspired by Jimmy’s energetic attitude and excitement, he began using him as a model for his art and photography.
And, like most dogs who love affection from their humans, Jimmy loves it.
“It’s a part of my day that I devote myself solely and exclusively to him. He loves to be the center of attention. I think this is a feature of every bull terrier,” Rafael says.
See their incredible friendship and story below.
SHARE if you’re glad Rafael got a best friend out of his divorce.
"On my thirtieth birthday, my wife left me. She took her cookware, furniture, photos, her decorations. She left me alone in an empty all-white apartment. The only thing she didn’t take was my bull terrier, whom she’d named after her favorite shoe designer: Jimmy Choo," Rafael said.
After his wife left him, Rafael went to therapy to learn why his relationship didn't work out. There he discovered he had autism. “As a child, I was very shy, anti-social,” he told TODAY.
Heartbroken but resilient, it was Jimmy Choo who helped him heal his broken heart. “He is the best partner ever,” he said. “[He is] definitely my best friend and companion.”
![Heartbroken but resilient, it was Jimmy Choo who helped him heal his broken heart. “He is the best partner ever,” he said. “[He is] definitely my best friend and companion.”](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_seaHwVcl6mD2KfTgAKjIVzNOJUaRZj20ExwP1RivfUNuBgKKa3bjfudc1TMPOFQo_FqFx7E8IcLLo6kH6rkUC0uzyv8vce6OQjnT-cFoYaTGj52049IyWmC36vLyWLXEOxVcSW0JICRrHsa3o9P3KGdlieq6Xqc4vjF0ZrVEGxtklXb18=s0-d)
Then one day he decided to turn his wonderful friendship into an outlet for his art.
"One day I was playing with him in the room and decided to make this picture, holding his hand [while showing the] affection and friendship that existed there,” Rafael said.
!["One day I was playing with him in the room and decided to make this picture, holding his hand [while showing the] affection and friendship that existed there,” Rafael said.](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tn9ugUuYRQTnwaodXKuTB0bZX6ewcSTa6fJ6y8V8iG_9_X91-Fy3_1UGWkH0v7MGR61h-aypWZHZQlOusiGUArhIs1l4gaKiKQRLn9mMcsez7TQ3l2CBh3tfJ3a3W0XJXtpP0zLiz8-QKkk4q9XcQTql2jlGiW04kMSCzo_-AxxzERVA=s0-d)
"With only Jimmy for company, I found inspiration in my blank walls and my best friend and started snapping photos of Jimmy Choo as he trotted and cavorted around the house in glee."
"When Jimmy collapsed in happy exhaustion next to the white wall, I grabbed a marker and drew a new world around his ginger-eared pup. Suddenly, I felt his long-dormant inspiration for drawing, for art, for life—returning."
"Taking pictures and creating art with Jimmy is my hobby, but it's so great that I have to time to play with Jimmy, who is my best friend," he said.
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