Harmony didn’t tell her kids that they had found Macho, who’d been missing for two long years. So needless to say, it was an emotional reunion when he walked out.

Sometimes what is lost can be found again. After a family had gone through the grieving process of losing their dog, he showed up again in their lives. His miraculous return is thanks to special technology and the family’s foresight.

The Navarro family had been in the middle of moving when their beloved dog “took off running”.

Their dog, who they had named Macho, certainly proved to them that he could not be controlled by anyone during their move from Sacramento to nearby Marysville, California. In the hubbub of moving, Macho ran down the street. Chalking it up to being overwhelmed by the activity of moving, they thought that was the last they would ever see of him again.

They considered him gone forever for two years.

Thinking there was no way they would ever be able to see him again, the family mourned his loss. It’s hard for pets to survive away from their families. Anything can happen to a missing pet, from starvation to getting hit by a car or attacked by another animal, so the chances of Macho surviving and returning to his family, and finding the new home they lived in, were slim.

But Macho had a microchip implanted in him.

The microchip ended up coming in handy. Despite the odds of Macho surviving, he ended up in an animal shelter. The people there were able to use the microchip to identify his family.

So the matriarch of the family, Harmony Navarro, got the surprise of her life. Two years after losing Macho, the Bradshaw Animal Shelter called her to say that they had her family’s dog. She was shocked and overjoyed.

Harmony wanted this unbelievable moment to become an extra special memory for her family, so she decided to make it a surprise reveal.

The Navarro family is comprised of 5 kids who had all missed their dog dearly. One of Harmony’s daughters even described Macho to CBS News as “my best friend”, so losing him was immensely painful. This was going to be a big moment for everyone.

Harmony told her kids that they were all signing up to be volunteers at the animal shelter. When they all showed up that first day, they had no idea what was in store for them. Their mom sat them down in chairs and the surprise revealed itself.

The family’s reaction to seeing their beloved dog come home is really touching, and a reminder that true love never dies.

Upon seeing their dog for the first time in two years, they were beside themselves. Each family member had an intense reaction. Their jaws dropped, they gasped, they hyperventilated, they cried. They were all so quick to get close to Macho and pet and cuddle him as he went around saying hello to all of them again.

For his part, Macho seems just as happy to be reunited with his family again.

Even after two years, he seems to still recognize each family member. While they were all emotional seeing him again, Macho’s tail kept wagging and he kept trying to get close to each person. When they finally got back to the family’s home, he cuddled close to them and didn’t want to be separated. Now, their lives can all return to normal, as their family is complete again.

Watch the video below to see more of this adorable surprise!