17 Years Old, 20 Miles a Day, and Hundreds of Lives Saved…f

The Boy with a Shelter in His Heart

When most kids are riding bikes or playing video games, Eduardo Cayado was doing something else entirely.

At just 9 years old, walking the streets of Annapolis, Brazil, he began bringing home animals no one else wanted – abandoned dogs, sick kittens, injured strays. One by one, he fed them, healed them, and gave them names. But more than that, he gave them love.

That love only grew stronger.

Now 17, Eduardo has turned his childhood mission into something extraordinary: he opened his own animal shelter, EduPacoci — a safe haven for forgotten animals. There, he provides food, medical treatment, and most importantly, warmth and affection. Every animal is seen. Every animal is known. And when they’re ready, Eduardo finds them homes — families who will continue the love he started.

He doesn’t do it alone. Over time, people noticed — and believed. Regular donors and volunteers now support the shelter. But Eduardo still walks 20 miles every single day between his home and the rented house that now serves as the shelter. Rain or sun, tired or not, he shows up.

Because they need him.

But Eduardo’s compassion doesn’t end with animals.

In his spare time — yes, he somehow finds it — he hand-makes thoughtful gifts for residents at a nearby nursing home. This past Christmas, he surprised all 52 elderly residents with personalized presents. Not store-bought, not generic — made with his own two hands, each one crafted with care.

Why does he do it?

Because everyone, he says, deserves to feel remembered.

Eduardo Cayado is still just 17. But in a world that sometimes feels tired and cold, he’s proof that love — real, active, generous love — is very much alive.

And it’s walking 20 miles a day.

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At just 9 years old, Eduardo Cayado from Annapolis, Brazil, was already doing something extraordinary. While most children his age were busy with video games or after-school activities, Eduardo was walking the streets with a mission in his heart. He began taking in stray animals — sick kittens, abandoned dogs, injured animals who had no one else. He brought them home, fed them, gave them shelter, and most importantly, offered them the one thing they had been deprived of: love.

The streets where Eduardo walked were often unforgiving. Many people passed by these animals without a second glance, but Eduardo couldn’t turn away. If he saw a trembling puppy under a bench or a cat limping across a sidewalk, he stopped. He listened to their silent cries. With his young hands and an even bigger heart, he nursed them back to life, one bowl of food and gentle touch at a time.

As Eduardo grew older, so did his dream. It never faded. In fact, it grew brighter.

By the age of 17, he had transformed his childhood compassion into something far more impactful: he opened his very own animal shelter. It’s called EduPacoci — a name that now echoes with hope for countless animals. This isn’t a government project or a large nonprofit backed by millionaires. It’s a shelter born from one teenager’s desire to help, and built by countless hours of hard work and sacrifice.

EduPacoci is more than just a building. It’s a home. Inside its walls are stories of survival, of resilience, and of second chances. There, every animal is known by name. They receive medical care, proper meals, and warm blankets. Some arrive barely able to walk, others flinch at the sight of human hands. But under Eduardo’s watch, they slowly begin to trust again. They learn that not all humans hurt. Some love.

And when they’re ready — physically and emotionally — Eduardo helps them find families. He doesn’t rush the process. He waits until the right match comes along. Because he knows what it’s like to feel forgotten. He knows the importance of being truly seen.

But Eduardo’s work isn’t easy.

He still lives far from the shelter. Every day, rain or shine, tired or sore, he walks 20 miles to care for the animals. That’s not a typo — 20 miles. Each morning, he rises early, laces his worn-out shoes, and starts his journey. With each step, he’s driven by the knowledge that dozens of animals are waiting for him. They rely on him for everything — food, attention, medical care, even just the comfort of his voice.

Despite all of this, Eduardo finds time to give back to people, too. Near his community is a nursing home, housing elderly residents who often go weeks without visitors. While many would overlook them, Eduardo didn’t. He saw them the same way he saw the abandoned animals — as souls deserving of love.

One Christmas, instead of focusing on himself, Eduardo spent weeks making handmade gifts for each of the 52 residents at the nursing home. Not generic presents, not quick purchases — each gift was unique, thoughtfully created by hand. Some were decorated with their names, others with symbols of things they loved. He wrapped each one with care, making sure every elderly person knew they were remembered.

The staff at the nursing home were speechless. The residents cried. One woman, clutching her gift, whispered, “No one has done this for me in years.”

When asked why he did it, Eduardo simply said, “Because everyone deserves to feel remembered.”

That’s the heart of Eduardo Cayado — someone who refuses to let the world forget those who are easy to overlook.

Today, more and more people are noticing. His story has begun to spread. Supporters now help fund the shelter through donations. Volunteers come to lend a hand. But Eduardo remains the beating heart of EduPacoci. He’s there before sunrise and long after sunset. He continues to walk those 20 miles each day, because the work must go on.

He has no formal training, no wealthy sponsors, no corporate backing — just determination, compassion, and a love that runs deeper than most people can imagine. In a world often filled with noise, cynicism, and self-interest, Eduardo is a quiet reminder that kindness still exists. And not just the kind that’s said, but the kind that’s lived — in every step, in every meal served, in every tail that wags because someone cared.

He is only 17, but the impact he has made stretches far beyond his age. Every animal he rescues, every life he touches, is a testament to what one person — no matter how young — can do when they choose love over indifference.

Eduardo doesn’t need recognition. He doesn’t ask for praise. He simply shows up, day after day, because he knows the value of a second chance. He knows what it means to feel abandoned — and what it means to be saved.

And for those he saves, he becomes more than a rescuer.

He becomes family.

While most kids were playing games or riding bikes, 9-year-old Eduardo Cayado was doing something else — rescuing animals no one else wanted.

Abandoned dogs. Injured strays. Sick kittens. He took them in, fed them, healed them, and gave them love.

That love never faded.

Now 17, Eduardo runs his own shelter — EduPacoci — a safe space for forgotten animals in Brazil. Every day, he walks 20 miles to care for them. He feeds them, nurses them, names them, and finds them homes.

But his kindness doesn’t stop there.

In his free time, Eduardo crafts handmade gifts for elderly residents at a nearby nursing home. This past Christmas? He made presents for all 52 of them. Thoughtful. Personal. From the heart.

Why?

Because, as he says, “Everyone deserves to feel remembered.”

Eduardo Cayado may be young — but his heart? It’s huge.

In a world that often rushes past what matters, he reminds us that real love is simple, steady… and often found in the quiet steps of someone walking 20 miles a day just to care.

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