It was an emotional homecoming (Vidéo)

When this Texan was forced to leave his animals and flee in the face of Hurricane Harvey, he thought that all his four-legged friends were done for. He fully expected to go back to the farmstead after the storm to find all of them dead. So it was an emotional homecoming for the man and his family when they saw what was waiting for them. And luckily for animal lovers everywhere the unbelievable scenes were captured on camera. Lester Morrow works as a language and arts teacher in the Aldine Independent School District. But while education may be Morrow’s vocation, animals are his great passion. As a result, he and his family live on an idyllic 500-acre farm, which Morrow had filled with pigs, horses, donkeys and goats.

Living in such close proximity to his farmyard friends, Morrow had built up a very special bond with them. “My animals are my hobby and favorite pastime and, because they all have their own unique personalities, I love them like my own children,” he said. So the scale of Morrow’s distress, when he realized he would have to abandon his beloved animals, can only be imagined. The tropical cyclone was so intense that it became the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. The result was devastating flooding that ruined thousands of homes and caused 30,000 people to flee. As a result, Morrow faced a race against the clock just to get his family and their dogs out in time.

He immediately breaks down crying

To expedite the evacuation process, the teacher made the agonizing decision to leave the rest of his animals behind. “All I could do was move them… give a hug and kiss and say a prayer for my beloved animals.” he said. He knew that he was leaving his beloved animals’ fate in the hands of Mother Nature, but he felt his hands were tied. When Morrow was finally able to return to his Plum Grove property, he decided to film the occasion for posterity. As he looks out across the waterlogged expanse leading towards his farm, he suddenly stops. “Oh my god!” he yells, and immediately breaks down crying. Watch the comforting reunion of Lester Morrow with his animals!