Super Trooper

Last October, as Hurricane Milton threatened Florida, a white bull terrier with dark ears was abandoned off the side of the road along Interstate 75 near Tampa. It was raining and the water was rising. Florida Highway Patrol trooper Orlando Morales was on patrol when he got the call about the dog and checked it out.  To his surprise, he found the dog, gently calmed him and eventually coaxed him back to the safety of his police car.

Nearly a year later, the dog, named Trooper of course, has found a new home with a couple in Parkland, Florida. When I heard about the rescue and the dog finding a new home, I pitched a story and it was finally published a few days ago at The New York Times where I work.  With everything going on in the world today with breaking and often depressing and tragic news (which I write a lot about,)  I thought this was an uplifting story and it has to do with something I am very fond of -- dogs!  When I told my friends that I was working on a longer story, one said "I thought this was going to be something else but this is so YOU!"   Yes, a hurricane + Florida + dog + rescue = a Johnny Diaz story. :)

You can read the story by visiting this link.

Photo courtesy of Frank Spina, Trooper's new daddy

The story also was published in the Sunday New York Times.  This is one of my all-time favorite stories to report and write.

Meet Chuchy

A lot of people associate me with my late dog Luna who passed away in 2022. She was 17 and had a really, really good life. (Miss Thing loved eating sushi on Friday nights and fresh chicken from Chicken Kitchen. For real!) RIP Luna.

But soon after her passing, another dog entered my life. His name is Chuchy, a six-pound cream-colored cotton ball of love. (At first, I thought he was a cat or a baby Ewok from "Star Wars.")  My sister adopted the Pomeranian from our cousins in Hialeah (they have his papi and stepmother) and Chuchy and I instantly bonded when we met which continues today. He doesn't live with me. He hangs out with me mostly on weekends and I go with him to vet appointments but I am basically his papi because I am the only male in his life.

Here are some fun things I love about the one and only Chuchy.

This was a toy I bought him when he was a puppy.

My sister Cary named him Churchill (after the late British prime minister...I don't know why)  but I thought that was too formal. So I started calling him Chuchy.                                                                                                                          

He loves to r-u-n and if he has enough space like a backyard or a dog park, he goes wild with the zoomies. No human or cheetah can catch up to him if he tries to run away. He also loves going up and down stairs hence below in my building. He knows the way to Casa Johnny.

Chuchy wants all your attention even when you watch TV. He tends to block your view with his big furry butt so I have to maneuver my head around his booty.

He loves to smother you with besitos (kisses.) 

Chuchy enjoys lounging in many of his beds (he has at least seven in multiple locations) and he even blends in with them. (Where does Chuchy begin and end in the bed? You decide.)

He is a good sport for photos (especially selfies) and makes great Christmas/holiday cards. He posed for me here for my 2024 cards, although he thought we were playing.

Chuchy loves anything outdoors. Say his magic word pasear in Spanish which means stroll and he goes crazy. He immediately grabs his leash and brings it to you because he wants you to take him on a stroll (even if you had just taken him for a walk 10 minutes ago.). Below, my sister walked him around Coconut Grove recently because he can't resist a walk.

He loves to ride shot gun (or on the driver...me!)