In December 2023, Tom Brady was forced to say a final goodbye to his family dog Lua.
Less than two years later, however, and the retired quarterback was 'reunited' with his canine companion, you could say.
Sadly, it wasn't drastic developments in resurrection that saw Lua brought back to life - but a cloning process.
As revealed in a bombshell announcement, Brady revealed that he, ex-wife Gisele Bündchen and their children had used their late pit bull's DNA used to create a spritely new puppy, whom they named Junie.
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The former sportsman debuted the latest addition to his family on his Instagram earlier this week, in association with Colossal Biosciences - a biotechnology firm in which Brady has invested.
Lua's blood was collected by researchers prior to her death, and used to make an identical miniature version of the Brady family's furry friend.
"I love my animals," the 48-year-old athlete explained of his decision. "They mean the world to me and my family.
"A few years ago, I worked with Colossal and leveraged their non-invasive cloning technology through a simple blood draw of our family's elderly dog before she passed."
Brady went on to claim that the team had given his family 'a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog', discussing his excitement to continue working with Colossal in a bid to 'help both families losing their beloved pets while helping to save endangered species'.
Unfortunately, Brady's admission has sparked quite the ethical debate, with some critics taking to social media to air their reluctancies.
"Yeah, this one really makes you stop and think," one X (formerly Twitter) user explained. "On one hand, it’s touching that Brady wanted to keep a piece of Lua’s memory alive, but cloning your dog through a company you invest in?"
They went on to add: "It’s equal parts emotional, unsettling, and straight out of a sci-fi movie. IMO."
Another hit out: "People, don’t clone your pets. The clones don’t live as long & have more health issues.
"Adopt a dog from a shelter who needs a home & make new memories w/ it. It’s cheaper & saves a life. Think of all the shelter dogs he could have helped w/ the money he spent on cloning his dog."
A third pointed out: "Millions of dogs being killed in shelters but sure let’s clone a whole new one…"
Reflecting on their own experience, a fourth continued: "I lost my childhood dog almost a year ago. It has been devastating. Grief makes you think different things because you would do anything to have them back.
"I thought about it but it just wouldn't be my dog, you can't clone her soul and what made her her."
Despite widespread backlash, however, a number of animal-lovers admitted they'd find it hard to resist 'bringing back' their beloved friend.
"Cloning your dog? Wild. But hey, if it brings joy, why not?" one asked.
Another agreed: "Wow, that’s wild. Junie’s a perfect way to keep Lua’s memory alive."
"I think it’s fair to say that a lot of us would do this to our most loved animal," a third went on to confess.
Tyla contacted Brady's representatives for comment.
Rhianna Benson