Everyone remembers the first pet they had as a child, and saying goodbye to these animals is an incredibly difficult memory for most. Unlike the vast majority of people, however, Jeanna Smith never had to say goodbye to her first pet, because he still lives with her!

When Jeanna turned 10 in 1962, her father gave her a pet tortoise named George. 56 years later, George is still alive and living with Jeanna, who says their friendship is stronger than ever!

Jeanna and George bonded from the moment she was given him, and she remembers putting him in the basket of her bicycle in summer and spending time with him in the garden. The two were so inseparable that Jeanna even brought George with her when she left for college!

When Jeanna started dating, all of her boyfriends knew that George came with her as a package deal. Throughout her life, Jeanna also had numerous dogs, and her husband jokes that George got the last laugh over the canines because though they barked at him to try and scare him, he outlived them all!

There have been a few bumps in the road involving George along the way as well. One summer, Jeanna’s family and neighbors had to go searching for George when he went missing while the family spent time in the garden. They eventually found the tortoise, and he hasn’t gone missing since!

Tortoises can live for up to 100 years, so George may very well outlive Jeanna. However, her family has a plan for that if it happens, as her daughters and grandchildren have volunteered to take care of him if Jeanna passes away first.

Watch the video below to learn more about Jeanna and George’s bond, and SHARE this story so your friends and family can see it as well!