Make-A-Wish recipient Cristian asked Bungie to recreate his beloved dog Artemis in Destiny 2, to celebrate their life-changing friendship, and the company is making that a reality

Bungie immortalized this relationship in the game through an emote called “Loyal Companion,” which showcases the player’s guardian petting a Belgian Malinois, like Artemis. The codex entry for the Mind Shard sparrow also provides a quietly moving short story about Cristian’s Destiny 2 character, Prime-40, and Artemis. Outside of the game, Bungie made an adorable plush of Artemis, available in the Bungie Store. Proceeds from the emote and the plush go to the Bungie Foundation.

Cristian has a rare, and often deadly, genetic disorder which caused problems with his kidneys. He underwent his first surgery when he was 17 days old and spent the first five years of his life in hospitals. A kidney transplant helped him stabilize, but recovery was a still an incredibly difficult process.

In a brief and impactful documentary Bungie released about Cristian and the Make-A-Wish project, Cristian discussed both his relationship with the game and with Artemis. He particularly emphasized playing the game with friends and the connective power of the community saying, “Destiny to me isn’t just a game. It’s taught me a lot of stuff… it’s because of the people I met along the way.”

Artemis similarly offered a source of comfort in dark times. Looking back, Cristian described a desire to give up on his often difficult and painful life, but “[Artemis] made me think the world wasn’t so bad, that things weren’t so bad after all.” Anyone who has had a close relationship to a pet or service animal knows the impact that friendship can have. Cristian’s story is a moving example of how much that connection can mean.

Cristian plans to attend Texas State University and hopes to join Bungie’s narrative team.