Eleven years ago, Gwendola Johnson of Glendale, California adopted a stray dog she named Sandy. Now Sandy is being hailed a hero after helping to save her owner’s life.
Gwendola is 88 years old and lives alone. Sandy is her constant companion, spending every waking moment by her human’s side.
Gwendola recently took a fall on her property. While she wasn’t injured, she was alarmed to find that she couldn’t get up off the ground. She lay there for an hour with Sandy keeping her company before she heard the familiar sound of the garbage trucks on the street below.
The grandmother’s driveway is long and steep, so no passersby could see her lying helplessly on the ground. She watched as sanitation worker Kirk White dragged her trash receptacle up the curb to her backdoor, but he couldn’t hear her cries for help. Gwendola turned to her faithful companion and said, “Go get him!”
Sandy didn’t hesitate! She seemed to know exactly what to do, rushing towards Kirk and barking wildly. Gwendola’s Ring doorbell camera captured the entire scene.
Thankfully, the astute worker understood what the dog was frantically trying to convey. “The way he was barking, like ‘I have something to show you – come follow me this way…there’s something I want you to see,'” Kirk explained.
Kirk followed Sandy around the house and found Gwendola on the ground. He helped her up and into the house, then stuck around to make sure she was okay. She and her family are so grateful to him for taking the time to listen to Sandy!
“We are so thankful he was here, and he actually followed Sandy and went over and helped her – because not many people do that anymore,” said Gwendola’s granddaughter Cheryl Malvar.
This story has not one, but two heroes! Kirk says he was just doing what anyone would do, but we think he deserves a huge pat on the back for “listening” to a dog.
Watch the video below to see Sandy in action. Share this story to remind people of yet another benefit of having a faithful animal companion by your side.
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