There aren’t many things that compare to the steadfast commitment that our furry friends exhibit. It’s a quality that dog owners all throughout the world cherish, and it shows in heartwarming ways like the mournful wails they make as we leave and the joyful circles they dance when we get back.
However, among the countless tales of dog loyalty, one story bears witness to the deep relationship that exists between a man and his devoted companion.
A German shepherd by the name of Talero left his mark on a story of steadfast love that survived even the cold grasp of death in the middle of Argentina’s snow-covered terrain. Talero was always there for his owner, Bernardo Leonidas Quiros, when tragedy struck and he was killed by the weather on a perilous family trip.
After their automobile broke down due to the hazardous terrain, Quiros and Talero found themselves stranded in the middle of a snowstorm. They braved the weather to hunt for help in a last-ditch attempt to survive. However, Quiros became lost in the white expanse as the unrelenting snowstorm obstructed their way, with his trusty companion, Talero, keeping watch beside him.
Talero stood guard over his deceased master for an incredible twenty-three days, a lone figure in the barren terrain, a motionless sentinel. Rescuers eventually found the frozen figure of Quiros, curled up under the protective shield of the Patagonian environment, thanks to Talero’s persistent presence.
Talero’s heroic attempts to save his cherished owner from the icy cold were made clear following the catastrophe. Dog markings that were deeply etched on Quiros’s body revealed how desperately Talero had tried to fend off the cold, a moving example of the intensity of a dog’s love.
Despite the unfortunate end to Quiros’s voyage, his family took comfort in the knowing that he was not alone in his last moments. And when they were finally saved, snug in the safety of their car, they saw firsthand the unbreakable link that exists between a man and his beloved animal, a relationship that death itself could not break.
Barry Manilow explains why he waited decades to come out as gay
During a guest appearance on HBO’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace, the 80-year-old Copacabana singer said he didn’t think it was important to announce his sexuality during the earlier decades of his career.
Manilow came out in 2017, almost three years after he married his husband and manager Garry Kief in a private ceremony. The couple have been together for 45 years now, though they’ve kept much of their relationship away from the public eye.
When he came out to People magazine in 2017, Manilow — whose real name is Barry Pincus — worried he’d be “disappointing” some of his fans by revealing his sexuality. Instead, Manilow, who was 73 at the time, said the reaction from his fanbase was “beautiful.”
Despite his current feelings of nonchalance about his own coming out, Manilow said announcing his sexuality as his career was booming would have been a bad idea.
“Now being gay is no big deal,” he explained. “Back in the ’70s it would have killed a career.”
Regardless, the usually very private Manilow said he thinks “everybody knew that Garry and I were a couple all those years.”
“Really, Garry and I’ve been together for so long,” he said. “It just never dawned on me that we’re going to come out. But when we got married, it was a big deal, so we did.”
Manilow credited Kief for saving his life. He said he is thankful he had Kief to support him as his music career was taking off, despite keeping their relationship under wraps.
“As my career exploded, it was just crazy. And, you know, going back to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of trouble if you’re alone night after night after night,” Manilow explained. “But I met Garry right around when it was exploding. And I didn’t have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had somebody to cry with or to celebrate with.”
Manilow said he did not wish an isolated hotel room for any young people.
“It was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was fun,” he smiled.
Kief is not Manilow’s first spouse. In 1964, Manilow married his high school sweetheart, Susan Deixler. They were married for one year.
Manilow told CNN’s Wallace he “really did love” Deixler, but added “the gay thing was pretty, pretty strong. I couldn’t deny it.”
The singer said he knew he was gay before marrying Deixler, but their marriage ended because Manilow couldn’t be the committed husband his then-wife needed. He revealed that his sexuality was not the reason his marriage failed.
“We had a very nice marriage, it was great, but I was away every night making music, as a young musician would be,” Manilow described. “It wasn’t good for me, and it wasn’t good for her.”
“I couldn’t be the proper husband,” he continued. “I was out making music every night, sowing my wild oats. I wasn’t ready to settle down.”
Brooklyn-born Manilow skyrocketed to international fame in 1974 after his release of the ever-popular pop-rock ballad Mandy. He became one of the biggest-selling musicians of all time. Prior to his success as a singer-songwriter, Manilow was behind a number of famous commercial jingles for brands like State Farm and Band-Aid — a gig that he has said helped him create catchy hooks for his own hit songs.
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