2-year-old Iris loves to explore, and she even admits that she runs away sometimes. However, a recent adventure might have taught her a valuable lesson about wandering off. Iris was walking in the Molalla River Recreation Area in Oregon with her 4-year-old sister and her grandma, Gayla Jay. It was all just fun and games until suddenly, Iris took off, and her poor grandma had no idea where the little girl had run off to.
The trail ahead of Jay split into multiple paths, and unfortunately, she had not seen which way Iris had gone. She grew very worried, and she repeatedly called out Iris’ name. She couldn’t hear any responses though because a nearby creek was very loud.
The Search for Iris
Jay had no cell service, so she flagged down the first people she saw. Some loggers stopped to help, and they called 911 right away. Tammy Stevens, a horseback rider, happened to be passing by with her horse named Bo, and her two dogs, Maddie and Wilson. She knew she had to help find Iris too.
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Without further hesitation, Stevens, Bo, and her two dogs went off on their own to look for Iris. Stevens knew that she had to follow her gut, and sure enough, she found her way toward Iris.
First, Stevens heard a whimper of a child. It was in a dangerous area, and Stevens couldn’t see the little girl, but she knew she was nearby. She looked down at her dogs and told Wilson to go find Iris. Without hesitation, the dog leaped into action.
Wilson to the Rescue!
Iris was stuck on a steep incline that was nearly 70 feet above where Stevens was standing, but that did not stop Wilson. The brave dog ran and bounded up the incline toward Iris. Once she saw that Wilson had found Iris, Stevens tied Bo to a tree and began climbing up after her dog.
When she reached Iris, she saw that Wilson was already by the little girl’s side, comforting her as much as possible. Iris was crying, but thanks to Wilson, she knew she was safe now.
“I just followed Wilson and he was just laying with his little front paws on Iris’ lap. She had her little hand on him and she was crying, just sobbing,” said Stevens.
Stevens carried Iris to safety, and they hiked back with her three loyal animals right beside her. It wasn’t long before Iris was back in her grandma’s arms, safe and sound. It was a heartwarming reunion, and Stevens said that it was the best moment of her life.
Jay is so grateful that her beloved granddaughter is safe once again. She will still go hiking with the two girls from time to time, but she said that she will make sure Iris always has a whistle from now on in case she gets lost.
The entire adventure took place over two hours, but if Stevenson and her dogs hadn’t come to the rescue, who knows how long it would have been? It is a day that none of them will forget, and hopefully nothing like this will ever happen to poor Iris again.
H/T: kgw.com
Featured Image: @clackcosheriff/Facebook
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