Ethan Hough, a lonely 13-year-old boy from a poor family, becomes an unlikely hero when he investigates his neighbor’s dog, Rocky, who has been barking non-stop for days. His parents, struggling with money, dismiss his concerns, but Ethan decides to check it out himself. He discovers his elderly neighbor, Carla, lying motionless on the sofa, unable to move. Ethan calls 911, and though Carla later passes away in the hospital, she leaves her house to Ethan and his family as thanks.

This act of kindness changes Ethan’s family’s life, teaching them that money isn’t everything, and that compassion matters more. As they move into Carla’s home, Ethan finds solace in the company of Rocky, and his parents begin to raise him with more care, no longer seeing him as a means to an end.