More: He’s a survivor of a car accident and almost lost his left front leg, but his strong will and spirit came through and after three skin grafts he is back to normal with only some hair loss on that leg. He showed up as a foster at my daughter’s landlords house the day we had to bury my dad. She didn’t want to sleep alone that night so asked if little Merle could stay the night. He’s never left. He saved her.