Family mourns ‘hero dog’ who saved 5-year-old from Des Moines home invasion in 2018

DES MOINES, Wash. — A family is mourning their beloved family member, a four-legged furry friend, who is considered a hero by many across the state -- and even across the world -- following his bravery in February of 2018.

Rex, a German Shepherd also known as the “hero dog,” saved then-5-year-old Javier Mercado’s life during a home invasion on 234th Street in Des Moines.

While Mercado was studying at home, three suspects broke into the house in the afternoon.

Mercado hid inside the closet of the master bedroom on the second floor and immediately called 911. However, his faithful friend Rex stayed downstairs to confront the robbers.

Julia Cadena, Mercado’s mother, who was at work and away from her phone at the time, said she had received 79 text messages from her son that afternoon begging for help.

While Mercado spoke with a 911 dispatcher, Rex fought the robbers downstairs.

The robbers later walked upstairs to the master bedroom where they were met with Rex again, but this time, in front of the closet’s door with Mercado hidden on the other side.

Cadena said her son heard Rex fight the suspects, followed by gunshots.

Rex was shot four times.

“I was just very scared,” Cadena said. “I thought, ‘oh my goodness, they’re going to kill him.’”

“You never know how these people act,” she continued. “If they have the empowerment of getting inside your house without caring, who knows what else they can do once they’re in there. I feared for my son’s life; I was very scared for him.”

“My angel (Rex), I always say that this is an angel that God sent,” she shared.

KIRO 7 reached out to the Des Moines Police Department to see if officers had arrested anyone in the home invasion.

Police said they will look into the case and get back with us.

Family fights to save Rex

More than five years later, Rex, this time, relied on his family to save his life.

“He was in pain. I’m in pain. He was telling me, ‘mom, just end my suffering,’ so I knew it was bad,” Cadena said, as she described Rex in the veterinary hospital.

This past week, Cadena said her family had noticed Rex looked weak and couldn’t walk well.

They took Rex to a pet hospital in White Center, where a veterinarian discovered their beloved dog had a dangerously low level of red blood cells.

“They were thinking if we didn’t do anything, he was going to die that night,” Cadena recalled.

The family rushed Rex to another hospital in Renton, where a veterinarian confirmed Rex also had issues with his liver and spleen.

“The doctor said you can try other treatments, but you’re prolonging his suffering,” she said.

Rex was put to sleep on Wednesday.

To Cadena and her family, Rex was not a man’s best friend -- he was family.

And to them, he will always be.

“We’ll forever love you,” she added. “He was a good good, sweet boy.”

Rex was eight years old.

People across the globe supported Rex online as he fought for his life, Cadena told KIRO 7.

A GoFundMe that was created to support Rex during his medical treatments had raised around $60,000. Cadena said the money was used for his medical expenses.

“Knowing that Rex needed something, and for what he did to save our son, the least thing I could do is try to save him.” Cadena added, “We want to thank all of the community, everywhere around the world, because people from everywhere donated for Rex.”

©2023 Cox Media Group