Marathoner stops mid-race to rescue abandoned puppy, finishes race with new 'adorable' family member

In 2019, Khemjira Klongsanun, a (then) 43-year-old athlete, was running a marathon in Thailand when she noticed an injured puppy on the roadside. While other marathoners ran past the terrified baby, Klongsanun carried the puppy to the finish line — 19 miles away.

"It seemed to me that this little guy was lost. There were no houses, no other dogs, and no people around. So, I picked up the puppy, if only to take him out of the unsafe environment," she told The Daily Mail. Running while carrying a dog wasn't exactly easy for the athlete; in fact, she told Good News Network, "It was two times more tiring than a normal marathon, but I did it anyway just because he is adorable." After finishing the Chombeung marathon in Ratchaburi, Thailand, Klongsanun tried to find the dog's owner, but when she failed, she took the baby under her care. The dog turned out to be female in reality. Later, when she again tried to search for the puppy's rightful owner and couldn't, the athlete decided to adopt her. Klongsanun, who already had 2 dogs, vaccinated and neutered the puppy (now called Chombeung, inspired by the marathon she was running) as she should've and welcomed her into her family. 

Klongsanun believes Chombeung was about 2 months old when she found her. She told Coconuts Bangkok, "I was running on the left side of the road and noticed that people kept dodging this particular spot. When I got to that spot, I saw a little tail wagging. Right then and there, I made a promise that I was going to give my life to this dog." And Klongsanun did keep her promise, as Chombeung got a family who, within 6 months after her arrival, had 28 dogs and 30 cats. In 2019, in an interview with Viral Press, Klongsanun's boyfriend said that though Chombeung's story went viral, the athlete wasn't new to helping animals or people, for that matter. "If she sees an old lady or an old man pushing a trolley, she will stop the car, get out, talk to them, and give them some money, and so she will help wherever she can help. She is truly an angel," he said. The State of Pet Homelessness Project found nearly 362 million homeless pets across 20 countries, including 143 million dogs and 203 million cats on the streets. If only more people like Klongsanun would come forward to help these helpless animals, the world would be a better place. 

Meanwhile, reacting to the story, @tweeta661 commented, "You have a heart of gold… brought warm, happy tears to my eyes. Love this." Similarly, @jadeblue311 said, "Khemjira, you’re my hero; what an amazing story — you save a life and show how bada** you are by staying on pace for 19 miles to finish the marathon. I love it!" Echoing the sentiments, @caronwhitlaw said, "She definitely is an angel to her new puppy!" Overwhelmed by the story, @krummel503 commented, "Khemjira Klongsanun, you are a #Hero. You saved a puppy while you were running in a marathon, and then you adopted the pup." @lindakayclaycom pointed out, "She deserves a colossal WIN because she suffered 'double time.' Congratulations, young lady, you're a winner in life, let alone a marathon!"

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