A German Shepherd named Sadie is being hailed a hero after she saved the life of her owner Brian Myers, just months after he adopted her.
According to Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, where Sadie lived before being adopted, the six-year-old canine stayed by Brian’s side after he suffered a stroke, licking his face to keep him awake. She eventually managed to drag Brian across the room to his cell phone so he could call for help.
Sadie was surrendered to the shelter in New Jersey when her former owner moved away. “She was confused and seemingly lost upon rescue, having suddenly lost the only family she knew” the shelter reported in a Facebook post. Described as a “loyal dog but nervous and protective with new people,” Sadie was a challenge to place. That is until she met Brian.
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“Though her bio noted she was especially nervous with men, Brain felt a special bond with Sadie as he valued her intelligence, hesitancy to trust, and fierce loyalty once she did form that trust. Brian gave Sadie a second chance at life, adopting Sadie and welcoming her home.”
Just months later, it was Sadie’s turn to give Brian a second chance, with the shelter reporting that “Sadie was the only reason that Brian was able to call for help.” German Shepherds are known to be loyal and loving with their owners and are wired with a predisposition towards courageous acts. They’re also incredibly smart, which is one of the reasons Brian is alive today.
“When I talk about this story, I get emotional,” Myers told CBS2’s Steve Overmyer “I was sleeping, and I had to use the bathroom in the night. As soon as I stepped on the floor I went down and hit the ground. I couldn’t get back up. I just grabbed hold of her collar, and she started pulling her weight backward. And with that, I was able to slide myself across the floor. Otherwise, I would probably still be laying there.”
Sadie is currently staying with family while Brian recovers at a rehab center, and while they’re missing each other terribly, nightly FaceTime calls are keeping the pair going until they can be reunited. When asked how he feels about Sadie, Myers had this to say: “I love her more than I can express. She was there for me in my time of crisis, and she knew instinctively what to do somehow,” he said. “I wouldn’t have gotten up off the floor if she wasn’t there for me. I can’t wait to give her a big hug.”
