Homeless man puts safety at risk by offering to climb up steep cliff to rescue stranded dog

©Brooke Bova

Heroes sometimes appear out of nowhere to save the day, then disappear without leaving a name. A dog owner recently encountered one such hero, who put his own well-being on the line to save her dog to then quietly leave after making sure all was well.

On July 25, 2017, a dog named Hunter and his owner were traveling on a freeway overpass in Washington when Hunter suddenly jumped out from the car’s opened window. He landed on a steep cliff and was stuck in some ivy, which prevented him from falling down to his death.

Firefighters and troopers from Washington State Patrol came to help. “We were trying to get him as fast as we could. It’s a very steep incline and there’s concrete below,” Brooke Bova, a trooper, told The Dodo.

When they were trying to figure out how to reach the dog, a man approached them and offered his help.

“This homeless man, who said that he lived under the overpass, offered to climb up. He said he knew the terrain and could grab the dog. It was heartwarming. He didn’t have to do that,” Bova said.

The man climbed up and brought the visibly shaken dog to safety.

“In my experience, homeless people tend to avoid law enforcement and do their own thing, so it was really heartwarming that he came up and offered to do that. It restores your faith in humanity,” Bova said.

After doing a good deed, the man left. Bova said, “He didn’t give his name. He just went on his way when he was done. He was just a really kindhearted guy.”

As for Hunter, he was taken to a vet to make sure he was not injured.

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