CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — On August 7, Gabe Roush turned 23, driving down Route 23 just 14 miles from home to visit his beloved nephews. Tragically, his birthday ended in a fatal car accident, leaving his family and community in mourning. During his funeral, his cherished dog of six years, Graham, escaped, compounding the grief of his mother, Aimee Ackley. After six days of tireless searching, Graham was found on Wednesday roaming the streets of Chillicothe, bringing relief to a community that rallied to bring him home.
Ackley, along with friends, family, and strangers, had scoured Chillicothe in a desperate effort to reunite with Graham, a black-and-white dog who slept by Gabe’s side every night and held deep sentimental value as a connection to her late son. “Graham is Gabe’s dog, and he knew something was going on,” said family friend Susan Rittinger. “He was almost like he was looking for him when he escaped.”
The community’s response was extraordinary. Volunteers went door-to-door, set out blankets with Gabe’s scent, used drones, and searched homeless encampments. The Chillicothe Humane Society closed for a day to aid the effort, and the local dog warden devoted hours to the cause. “Yesterday, they even shut down the Humane Society to help us look,” Rittinger said. “People are coming out of the woodwork, trying to find this dog because it’s not just a dog. It’s more than a dog.”
The search faced setbacks, including anonymous calls and texts demanding the $1,000 reward upfront, later exposed as scams. The family also endured cruelty from a group of young people who threatened to “shoot up” the funeral and desecrated Gabe’s gravesite, taking photos of themselves lying on it.
“My friend lost her son in a tragic car accident at the age of 23 on his birthday,” said Alfie Stevens, a close friend. “His dog got loose during the funeral, and we looked everywhere. We just needed to get the word out there.”
On the sixth day, hope was restored when Graham was spotted wandering Chillicothe’s streets and safely recovered near Main and Bridge streets. Ackley, who had been searching day and night without time to grieve or choose a tombstone for her son, expressed profound relief at the reunion. “It’s been great to see these total strangers come together,” Stevens said, though she noted the pain caused by those who exploited the family’s loss. “At the same time, you see the evil in some people as well.”
Graham’s return marks a small but significant step in Ackley’s healing process, as the community’s compassion shone through in their unwavering effort to bring him home.