A quick-thinking state police officer and a loyal, smart dog came to the rescue of a man who fell through the ice at a frozen Michigan lake.
Body camera footage from Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Officer Kammeron Bennetts revealed their heroics in action.
Bennetts was responding to the 911 call after locals at Arbutus Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan saw a man fall through the ice. When Bennetts arrived on the scene he could see the 65-year-old man with just his head and shoulders above the thin ice. The man’s dog, Ruby, was by his side.
The video shows Bennetts first trying to throw a rescue disc tethered to a rope out to the man. But the rope fell short and there was no way for Bennetts to get any closer without risking falling through the ice himself.
That’s when Bennetts quickly came up with an idea.
“Send your pup here. Will she come to me?” he yells to the man. The man replies her name is Ruby.
“Ruby, come here! Come here, Ruby!” Bennetts shouts in the video. He whistles for Ruby to come over, which she does with her tail wagging.
Bennetts quickly ties the rescue disc to Ruby’s collar and asks the man to call Ruby back to him. Ruby hesitates for just seconds before cluing in what to do and then she races back over to her dad.
“Bring your feet up to the surface by kicking your feet!” Bennett instructs the man while pulling him out. Fortunately Bennett successfully pulls the man out. Bennetts and a local firefighter (who arrived on the scene) then grab hold of the exhausted man by his arms and bring him back to shore, with Ruby in tow.
The man would tell Bennetts afterwards that Ruby literally flung herself on him, determined for him to get a hold of the disc.
Bennetts relates the rescue in detail in the news video below:
State police later posted on X (Twitter), that the man was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment and later released. “The quick actions of MCO Bennetts along with the help from Ruby, they were able to perform a successful ice rescue,” state police said. They went on to praise Ruby.
“What a good girl!!! Amazing ice rescue,” the post states. “Creative thinking helped save a life!!…Great team work and well done!”
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