This is the real Nayeli – the dog who gave her beautiful name to this project.
The main character in my book was actually named Bambi — a name I couldn’t use due to trademark restrictions.
I met the real Nayeli after Bambi’s death, during a journey to Romania when I visited the Animal Life shelter in Sibiu.
She was already an older dog, calm and wise, with the kind of dignity that makes you fall silent.
I brought her home with me — and by giving her name to this project, something of her continues to live on.
The Real Nayeli
Behind the Scenes
This project carries her name, her spirit — and her dignity.
This is how Nayeli stays with me.
In every word, in every image, in every quiet thought that brings her back to me.
What Remains
Nayeli often visited Bambi’s grave.
Sometimes she lay down quietly beside it, sometimes she just watched the garden.
It was as if she sensed the invisible thread that connects souls who have shared love — beyond time, beyond words.
Connection to Bambi
Her days were simple — and yet full of meaning.
She loved the smell of fresh grass and the sound of the wind.
Sometimes, she would roll on her back and close her eyes, grunting softly with joy.
She had a small friend she visited every day — always stopping by the same fence, always with the same quiet excitement.
Her treasures were bones she could no longer chew.
She carried them carefully, buried them in secret spots, and checked them regularly — as if to say that even small things deserve care.
Everyday Rituals
Nayeli loved her walks — steady, purposeful, full of curiosity.
She had a quiet joy for movement, a sense of belonging in nature.
Together with my second dog, Clotilde, she shared a deep bond.
Clotilde was young, playful, and often unsure — Nayeli guided her.
In her calm, Clotilde found courage.
These small moments became everyday miracles — lessons in patience, presence, and gentle leadership.
Life with Nayeli
Nayeli – I love you
That’s what her name means in the language of the Zapotec people, an Indigenous culture from Mexico.
For me this name was more than a choice – it was a promise. A quiet vow that love, trust, and belonging could grow again, even from the silence of shelter life.
Nayeli lived up to her name, day by day – with her dignity, her tenderness, and her quiet strength.
She wasn’t a coincidence, nor just a companion for a time. She was a soul that had once gone missing and found her way back into life, one gentle step at a time.
This project carries her name, her spirit, and her dignity.
Nayeli meant love.
And that remains.
Author’s Note