A Vermont man is being hailed as a hero after he bravely entered a freezing river to rescue a dog. The heartwarming moment was captured on video and shared by the dog’s owner, Morgan Cerasoli, on her Facebook page on January 10.
The dog, named Arizona, had been missing, and in the video, viewers can hear the urgency in the voice of a bystander urging the rescuer to act quickly, saying, “Just go, go, go, go before he gets away.” The man, identified as Chris MacRitchie, took action after his son spotted the dog struggling in the Winooski River in Berlin while they were in the drive-thru at a Dunkin’ Donuts.
MacRitchie told the Associated Press, “It was like one of those moments everyone probably has in their life where you’re going to make a decision.” He explained that his instinct was to help, especially because he has two dogs of his own. “I felt I was obligated to at least try to fetch this dog out of the river, as I would hope someone would do that for my dogs if they were in that spot,” he said.
In the video, MacRitchie wades through the waist-deep water and stretches his arms toward the dog, finally reaching it and bringing it safely back to land. A bystander wraps the dog in a coat as MacRitchie assures, “You’re good.”
The video, filmed by MacRitchie’s son, was later posted online by Cerasoli, who expressed her profound gratitude. “This man will forever be my hero! Never told a stranger I love him so many times before,” she wrote. “To some, this may just be a man rescuing a dog, but to me, it’s a man rescuing an extension of my soul!”
Cerasoli also shared that MacRitchie contacted her after seeing the dog’s tag, and they were able to reunite. The rescue took place in Berlin, located about 40 miles southeast of Burlington, Vermont.
This extraordinary act of kindness is now spreading across the internet, with many commending MacRitchie for his selflessness and quick thinking in a moment of life-or-death urgency.
Related topics:
Retired Police Dog Saves Lost Hiker, Honored with Lifesaver Award
Paw Things: How to Help Your Anxious Dog
Selkie the Therapy Dog Brings Joy to Williams Lake Seniors
