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Coeli Fortun was a teenager when she adopted her shih tzu, Manolo, in Manila, Philippines

The 29-year-old, now living in Toronto, tells PEOPLE he was “goofy and silly, with his tongue always sticking out, and he had a way of making everyone around him smile”

On Oct. 2, 2025, Fortun had to say goodbye to her 15-year-old companion after he was diagnosed with canine dementia

For 15 years, Coeli Fortun’s life had been intertwined with that of her beloved shih tzu, Manolo.

When Fortun first laid eyes on him, she was just 14, and Manolo wasn’t even supposed to be up for adoption, as he was already partially blind in one eye and considered unfit to be rehomed.

“To this day, I swear I heard 'Happy Together' by The Turtles playing in my head when we locked eyes,” she tells PEOPLE

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