Hunter came to live with us as the result of my son’s divorce. He was a yellow lab cross, but looked exactly like “Ole Yeller” of the movie. He was a wonderful loving dog who loved to chase squirrels, and swim in the small lake next to our property, and go uninvited to our neighbors Bar-B-Ques. Many was the time our phone would ring and tell us Hunter was enjoying the party too much and would we please come get him.

The story of Hunter’s bravery takes place in 1991. Four years before a young woman came to live with us and help me around the house. At the time we didn’t know she was pregnant, but 8 months later she gave birth to a son named Michael. As Michael grew older he and Hunter became the best of pals….Hunter followed him everwhere. On summer day in 1991 when Michael was about 4 he slipped away from his mother and when directly to the bridge over the nearby lake. Of course, Hunter followed him. Somehow Michael slipped and fell headlong into the water. He was crying and gasping for air when Hunter jumped into the water. Michael grabbed Hunter’s collar and swam him to the bank where by that time his mother was waiting. My Spanish isn’t very good but I can just imaging the tongue lashing Michael got. By the way, he never pulled that trick again.

Michael and his mother lived with us until he was 12 when she married and moved into her own home. During those years they lived with us they became part of our family, and still are. Hunter lived a long and good life. Outliving my own son who died on 12-11-2001 of diabetes nearly breaking our hearts.

In the summer of 2006 I noticed that Hunter was drooling excessively, and was having difficulty eating. I immediatedly thought he had a tooth abcess, but unfortunately that was not the diagnosis. The Vet. called and said Hunter has inoperable cancer of the mouth. He was in great pain so I had no choice but to put him down.

But now as Paul Harvey would say….The rest of the story. That little boy Hunter rescued so long ago grew into a wonderful young man. He calls us his Grandparents and likewise he is our Grandson. Further he has taken our name as his middle name. Michael got a Nonmination and Appointment to West Point and as I write this he is in his Plebe Year at the United States Military Academy and doing very well.

If it weren’t for that wonderful old dog, Hunter, Michael could have drowned in that lake, but God used Hunter to make sure that didn’t happen. I know things happen for a reason and I believe that Michael has something important to give to his family and Country.

Hunter will always be a part of our lives and I thank God he was there when Michael needed him.

Carol from Texas