Inspiring Stories of Animal Angels | Guideposts

Visits from a Hummingbird from Jackie Waters in Williamsburg, Ohio

I woke up early and headed to the front porch. My family was still asleep, and I needed a moment to myself. My sister, Tracy, had been battling brain cancer for years, and now there was nothing more the doctors could do. I hope Tracy will be at peace soon, I thought.

Just then, a hummingbird flew up to the porch. It hovered in front of me, looking directly at me before flying away. Short as it was, the visit felt important. This property has been in my family for years and none of us has ever seen a hummingbird here. I took comfort in its presence.

Tracy died a few hours later. The news hit me hard, and I found myself back on the porch, alone. I know Tracy is in heaven, I thought. But is it too much to ask for a sign that she’s okay?

No sooner had I sent off my prayer than the hummingbird returned! It hovered in front of me for a second, its eyes on me intently. The same feeling of comfort came over me. I had my answer.

The Real Max from Mary Whitney in Leavittsburg, Ohio

My husband, John, and I had recently moved to a cottage in the country. Because he worked all day, he worried I would get lonely. “Why don’t you get a dog?” he asked.

I’d wanted a dog since I was a little kid. My favorite stuffed animal had been a dog named Max. He was white and fluffy with multicolored ears and long eyelashes. I’d always hoped to have a “real Max” one day, but I knew it was an impossible prayer. Max was such a specific-looking dog, I’d never seen any like him.

I started my search, open to all possibilities, but it was an important decision and nothing felt right. One day I spotted a newspaper ad for a dog who needed a home. Oddly, his name was Max. There was no photo, but something told me to check it out. I scheduled an appointment without any idea what kind of dog I was going to meet. God, please don’t let me take the wrong dog just because he has the right name, I asked on the way over.

I arrived to meet the sweetest dog ever, who also happened to be white and fluffy with multicolored ears and long eyelashes. The real Max was not an impossible prayer after all.