It was a regular New Year’s Eve for Bob, whose last name remains unknown, when he was watching TV. He was home with his beloved dog, Kelsey. The two of them were watching the regular NYE programming when Bob went outside to grab a log for his fireplace. A simple routine chore, he was wearing only his long johns and a t-shirt. What happened next, however, was far from simple or routine.
Bob slipped on the ice and broke his neck. Living on farmland in Michigan, his closest neighbor is about a quarter of a mile away. Because of this, Bob’s cries for help weren’t heard. He was paralyzed and quickly succumbing to hypothermia. But Kelsey heard the cries for help and she wasn’t about to give up on her owner. She started barking for help. Kelsey barked the entire 20 hours he was stuck outside. She would lie on top of Bob to keep him warm, lick his face to comfort him and howled all night into the next day. Bob eventually fell unconscious, but just shy of an entire day later his neighbor finally heard Kelsey’s cries.
Bob was in pretty poor condition. According to the News Review, his core temperature was under 70ºF, he was in atrial fibrillation and had a herniated disc in his neck. Fortunately, he arrived at the hospital and is doing much, much better. It’s doubtful Bob would have ever made it out alive if it weren’t for Kelsey. In fact, Bob reports, “I was surprised to find out that I didn’t have any frost bite,” said Bob, “I am sure it was because of Kelsey’s determination to keep me warm and safe.” Here’s to a healthier new year!
