Guide dogs are not merely something that helps visually-impaired people live their lives more comfortably - they form a real bond, and often become one of the most important friendships, not just for the owners, but for the dogs too. A story about a visually-impaired masseuse in Japan shows such a relationship.

Mr. Yamahashi goes to work in a massage clinic everyday using a bus. He was always accompanied by Valdes - a 10-year-old Labrador Retriever.

The two had met in 2007, and have been great pals for nine years.

On October 3rd, 2015, Mr. Yamahashi and Valdes was walking to the bus stop as usual, when a reversing truck had hit the two severely. Unfortunately, both of them did not survive the accident.

Representatives of a guide dog group in the region suggested that there was no way that Valdes would have left Mr. Yamahashi behind at the site of accident. Furthermore, the courageous dog may have tried to protect his friend.

What makes this event even more tragic is that the day of the accident was also Valdes' birthday; he was due to retire from guide dog as he was getting old.

Valdes, until his last moment, dedicated himself to his owner. We would like to believe that Valdes continues to serve Mr. Yamahashi in the afterlife.