At the bustling Willow Creek county fair, eight-year-old Lily Parker felt completely lost. Since last November, when her mother, Officer Hannah Parker, was killed in the line of duty, Lily had stopped speaking and shut down emotionally. The only comfort she had was Max, her mother’s loyal K-9 partner, a dignified German shepherd who stayed at the police station.

One day, Lily learned Max was being sold at an auction. Determined not to lose him, she gathered all her savings—$52.16—and went to the auction, despite her stepmother’s pleas to stay home. When she bid her small amount, the crowd laughed, and the auctioneer said it wasn’t enough.

Then, Max suddenly broke free from his crate and ran straight to Lily, proving their bond was unbreakable. Moved by the