A happy ending Wednesday night to a story that started with tragedy. On Sunday, a dog found himself stranded in Omaha after his owner, a truck driver, died while traveling through the city.

Amid all the commotion of check-ins at Eppley Airfield Wednesday, a different kind of passenger came through the door. One that grabbed a lot of attention, people even came up to take his picture.

His companion said, "this is the man of the hour." And it was an hour people in Omaha, and others 1,600 miles away, had been waiting for since Sunday.

"We're really glad to get him on his way because he deserves to be home with his family, and he's been with us for a couple of days," said Pam Wiese with the Nebraska Humane Society.

Those days started Sunday on Interstate 80. Zak the dog was inside a semi-truck when the driver and Zak's owner, Robert Shield, had a heart attack and died.

"I'm glad the dog was with him when he went so he wasn't completely by himself," said Bobby Garrison, Shield's son.

After learning Zak survived, the family wanted Shield's travel buddy to come home to California.

"That was my dad's best friend on the road, and my mom says it's the last thing she's got of him," said Garrison.

"We've had people from different states who've called up and e-mailed and said I want to help, how can I help?" said Pam Wiese.

Donations even came from far away. The humane society received a call from a military member out of Fort Calhoun stationed in the desert overseas.

"He said I'm sending donations, and I said bless your heart for thinking of this little dog trying to get back home when you're half a world away, not home yourself," described Wiese.

Donations for Zak's airplane ride were pouring until one call.

"I was very touched, I couldn't believe it, wrote it down, came into work and ended up calling to see if they still needed help, which they did," explained Michele Henry with American Airlines.

So American Airlines donated Zak's ticket. Wednesday, Zak sat waiting on the baggage cart for boarding, with a welcome home waiting on the other end of his travels in San Diego.

"Mr. Shield's daughter, Jamie, said the whole family will be there, so I have a feeling they're all going to be there to welcome Zak home," said Pam Wiese.

As for the money that was donated for Zak's ticket, the humane society says it will go to help other animals get home when they need it.