Little Boy Dives into Raging River to Save Drowning Stray Dog – Story of the Day

Michael was on a fishing excursion with his father when the man stepped away to take a phone call. The little boy suddenly saw a dog swimming hopelessly deep into the river and he knew he had to do something, but he had no idea if he would make it in time.

"It's a perfect day for fishing!" Michael heard his father, Andrew, exclaim as he set up their equipment on the banks of Henry's Fork, Idaho, a tributary river that had always been his dad's favorite spot. "I fished here with my dad and grandad, and now, I get to bring you here and show you the ropes!"

"Yay!" Michael jumped on his spot, excited to be bonding with his dad. Once the older man finished setting up, they sat down.

Michael listened intently as his father told him many stories, including his tales about fishing with his father and the time he met Michael's mother.

The little boy ate everything up, feeling a kind of connection with his dad that he had never felt before. Even at his young age, he could sense that this was a pivotal outing in their relationship.

"I couldn’t leave him! I had to do something!" the little boy protested.

"Fishing is all about patience, son. Sometimes, we'll be lucky, and sometimes, we won't. But there's a kind of peace you find right here at this river that you won't find back home," Andrew explained at some point and grinned peacefully at his son.

Michael returned the smile and turned his head to look at the river. The waves weaved in and out every so often, and the breeze on his face was relaxing. His father was right. It was peaceful there, save from the occasional noise other people in the distance would make. There were also some people swimming a few miles away, so everyone was having fun in their own ways.

"Next time, we can swim here, and Mom will like it too!" the boy told his father, who nodded in agreement.

A few hours passed in complete silence until his father's phone rang. "Hello?" he answered, and after listening for a few seconds, he pulled the phone down to look at Michael. "Son, this is an important call. I'm going to be by the trees over there. Be careful."

Andrew walked a few paces away, and Michael watched him until he saw his dad pacing around the same spot. The little boy shrugged and watched their fishing rods intently in case there was any movement.

But something odd caught Michael's attention. From a distance, he saw something moving in the water, and at first, he thought someone was swimming. But soon enough, the boy realized it was a dog, and the poor pet appeared to have been caught in a current that started pulling him away.

"Oh no! Dad! Dad!" Michael yelled, but Andrew couldn't hear his screams from that distance. The current started pulling the dog further, and Michael panicked. He had no idea what to do and wanted to run to his father, but he stopped when he spotted a swim ring among their equipment.

Andrew brought it in case Michael wanted to swim, although their plan was always to just fish. The little boy stared at it, looked up, and saw the dog still struggling. Thinking it might be drowning, he made a split-second decision.

Grabbing the swim ring and taking off his shoes, Michael ran toward the water and started swimming to reach the dog. His mother took him to swimming lessons every week, so he considered himself good. However, he had yet to tread through such deep water, which was scary. But he had to do something to help the dog.

Finally, Michael reached the pet and held him against the swim ring, encouraging it to latch on. The poor pup seemed tired, and the little boy wanted to start swimming ashore, but it wasn't easy. The current kept pulling them back, and he had no idea if they would make it.

After what seemed like a lifetime, they finally reached the shore. The pup shook the water off his coat and sat down on the ground with his tongue lolling out. "You must be so tired," Michael said breathlessly, searching for a towel.

He quickly wrapped the dog in the warmth of the cloth and sat on the ground to pat him dry. He was also dripping from head to toe, and it was starting to get cold, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that this dog was safe.

"Michael! Why are you wet?" his father asked when he returned. His eyes were wide with shock as he stared at his drenched son. Michael told him everything, and Andrew started to get angry. "Son, that was so dangerous! You could've drowned!"

"I couldn’t leave him! I had to do something!" the little boy protested, and Andrew sighed, placing his hands on his waist.

The grown man wanted to argue and scold his son for his dangerous actions, but Michael was still trying to dry the dog. He realized at that moment what a heroic thing his kid had done and shook his tiny head. "Although I still think it was dangerous, I'm proud of you for saving the dog, son," he said, wrapping another towel around his son and plopping on the ground too.

The little boy smiled. "Can we keep it?" he said. "It doesn’t have a collar, and I don't see anyone here calling for a dog."

Michael always wanted a dog, but his parents often said no because he was too young for the responsibility. They were waiting until he got older.

This time Andrew shook his head, not in refusal but to humor his son. "I don't think your mother is going to like that," he laughed.

"I'll convince her," Michael insisted with bright eyes.

Finally, Andrew nodded, defeated. "Well, we'll have to check for a chip. If it doesn't have an owner, and your mother agrees, then we'll keep it."

Michael's mother was not pleased at first, but after Michael told her his heroic story, she had to agree that he had done something remarkable. Moreover, dogs have a way of teaching children responsibility, unconditional love, and many more lessons which Michael would benefit from.

The pup didn't have a chip at all so the family kept it. Michael named it Aragorn, and it became his best friend in the entire world.

What can we learn from this story?

• Dogs can teach kids many life lessons and bring out the best in them. Michael rushed to the water to save a strange pup, becoming a hero. In the end, his mother and father agreed that adopting the dog would be the best decision for their child.
• Always watch your kids because anything can happen in just a few minutes. Andrew had only stepped away for a short while when his son decided to do something potentially dangerous. Even if Michael was a hero, he could've been hurt. It's always best to keep a watchful eye on our children, especially in places where danger could be lurking.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a little boy who brought food for a beggar and his dog every day until something remarkable happened.

This story is inspired by the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.