Epic Love
In 1993, in a small Croatian town, Stjepan Vokic, a 71-year-old widower rescued a Stork who’d been shot by hunters. No longer able to fly, the retired janitor took Malena in and cared for her, building her a nest on his roof. They became dear friends and Stjepan looked after her for 8 years before she met Klepetan, her soul mate, who helped care for her, bringing her fish everyday.
Come August, when it was time for Klepetan to migrate to South Africa, they parted ways. Unable to fly off with her love, Malena stayed behind with Stjepan. But the avian couple reunited in March when Klepetan made the 13,000 km journey back to Malena. Their long distance romance lasted 19 years and they had 66 children. Sadly, Malena died in July of 2021.
https://scoop.upworthy.com/stork-flew-8000-miles-every-year-for-two-decades-to-see-injured-soulmate-594337-594337