MT. LEBANON (KDKA) — The kindness of a stranger led to a heartfelt reunion for a Mt. Lebanon family and their family pet who had been missing for six long months.

Back in August, Jami and Bruce Estabrook went on vacation with their 12-year-old daughter Eliza. A neighbor had let out their dog, Molly, when she ran off.

The family launched a desperate search, posted 400 flyers and used websites for lost animals to try to track her down.

Somehow, 4-year-old Molly had made her way to Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhood where Alderdice High School teacher and coach Dave Walchesky fed her every day for six months.

Molly would never let Dave get close enough to see her I.D. tags, though. Two weeks ago, he devised a plan to lure the dog into a makeshift cage. It worked. That was February 16th.

He finally had a name and phone number from her tags. Walchesky called the Estabrooks with the unbelievable news.

“Oh, the very first thing he said was, ‘Are you missing a dog?’ I said, ‘Yes!’” explained Jami Estabrook.

Walchesky said, “And she just started crying. I don’t know if she heard any other words.”

Eliza says the experience has been “life-changing.”

The Estabrooks plan to meet Walchesky in person soon to thank him for taking care of Molly.

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