Oregon Family Watches In Shock As Their Golden Retriever Falls 300 Feet Into The Rising Ocean
Leo, a 3-year-old golden retriever, was hiking with his family in the Oregon wilds. The trail was steep, but he bounded ahead, full of that joyful dog energy.
He was having the time of his life, bouncing along the trail like he didn’t have a care in the world.
But in one terrifying moment, everything changed. Leo got just a little too far ahead. One wrong step near the edge and suddenly he was gone.
His family raced forward, calling his name. When they reached the edge, their worst fear came true: Leo had fallen, tumbling nearly 300 feet down the side of a cliff.
It was a drop no one expected him to survive.
But somehow, against every odd, Leo was still alive. Hurt and scared, but alive.
He was stranded, badly injured, and stuck on a rocky stretch of beach where no one could reach him. His family could only watch from above, desperate and terrified.
That’s when help came from the sky.
The U.S. Coast Guard heard the call and didn’t hesitate. A helicopter team was dispatched, slicing through the coastal winds toward Leo’s location.
Time was not on their side as the beach was quickly disappearing beneath the rising ocean, as Lt. Michael Travers shared in a YouTube video:
“By the time we got out there, about 45 minutes later, we had probably lost about 70 to 80% of the beach we had before.”
But the crew didn’t waste a second. They lowered their rescue swimmer down from the chopper, and he made his way to Leo.
The sweet pup was scared and hurting, but he didn’t lash out. He could feel the kindness in the rescuer’s hands. And in that moment, he knew that he was finally safe.
They put him in a basket and lifted him up to the people who were ready to help him.
Once on solid ground again, Leo wasn’t out of the woods just yet. He was rushed to the nearest emergency vet.
X-rays and scans revealed just how rough the fall had been. He had a collapsed lung, a broken jaw, and other injuries that would take time and care to heal.
But he was alive. And that was everything.
His family was overwhelmed with emotion and so relieved that Leo was alive. But they also faced a mountain of medical bills.
The costs of Leo’s recovery were more than they could handle alone. So, they started a GoFundMe, hoping for a little help.
And help came fast. Support poured in from people who were touched by Leo’s story. They saw a brave pup who had survived the unthinkable.
Leo had captured hearts everywhere, and people were ready to help him heal. He was a fighter, a sweetheart, and a very lucky boy.
His family says they owe everything to the first responders and the Coast Guard. Without them, Leo wouldn’t be here today, as they shared:
“We are very thankful Leo is alive and his injuries are not worse. We extend our deepest thank you and appreciation to the first responders and the Coast Guard who were able to rescue him. If it wasn’t for them would not be here with us.”
And Leo? He’s healing, slowly but surely. Wrapped in blankets, surrounded by love, and snoozing in the arms of the people who never gave up on him.
After all he’s been through, one thing is clear: Leo may have fallen off that cliff, but he didn’t just survive the fall. He beat the odds and proved he’s one incredibly strong and special pup!
