ACWORTH, Ga. -- Last year, Spirit, a Great Dane mix, was left on the side of the road in Marietta to fend for herself. She was just a puppy and had serious medical problems.

Luckily, Spirit was found by the Homeless Pets Foundation in Marietta. The group took her in, rehabilitated her and taught her how to walk again.

CBS Atlanta News first told you Spirit's story earlier this year after she underwent surgery to cut the tendons in her front legs to help her walk. Then, she went through months of therapy which included time in the pool swimming and stretching.

Most of the time, her legs were kept bandaged in splints so they would stay straight. “We went through about three months of rehabilitation for her , and Spirit is the most determined dog, that is the best name for her she was bound and determined she was going to walk, she is a miracle dog. She is our miracle dog,” said Heather Simon.

Heather and her husband, Aaron, adopted Spirit three months ago. But, they were with her for most of her rehabilitation and surgery. “The process was hard to get her out and carry her up and down steps basically we had to be her legs for a very long time,” said Aaron Simon.

Spirit used to walk entirely on her wrists, with her paws bent back. She walked on the tops of her legs for so long she started to develop a callous similar to what she would have under her paws on her leg. Where the pads of her feet should’ve been was just skin. “She is now building up her pads,” Heather said.

The dog does have mild discomfort while she walks. But, it does not keep her from playing with other dogs the Simon family has adopted. She even wrestles with a healthy male Boxer puppy named Luke.

The Simon family has this message for whoever abandoned Spirit. “I don’t want people to feel pity , what I want people to feel is look what can happen to a dog that somebody thought was useless she is definitely not useless anymore,” Heather said.