Penguin swims to Brazil every year to see man who saved his life

The story of a man and his pet best friend has resurfaced and is turning the internet upside down with their heart wrenching tale of friendship.

Every year since 2011 Jinjing, a South American Magellanic penguin swims back to Brazil to meet and hangout his human friend who also happened to be his savior.

71-year-old retired bricklayer and part time fisherman Joao Pereira de Souza found Dindim, covered in oil and close to death.

When De Souza nursed him back to health, however, he found that Jinjing didn’t want to leave; when he finally did, De Souza was surprised to see him return the next year, and the years following, reports BoredPanda.

“I love the penguin like it’s my own child and I believe the penguin loves me,” Joao told Globo TV. “No one else is allowed to touch him. He pecks them if they do. He lays on my lap, lets me give him showers, allows me to feed him sardines and to pick him up.”