When the family dog went chasing after some ducks on a half-frozen pond, the dog ended up falling through the ice. When the dog's owner tried to rescue Bailey the golden labrador, the situation got a whole lot worse.

It became worse when Bailey's owner, Cathy Medernach, tried to paddle a canoe out onto the pond to save the dog, only to fall into the pond herself. Had it not been for Cathy's 8 year old son Caden having the presence of mind to call 9-1-1, this incident may not have ended so happily.

Once the golden lab was stranded in the water, mom didn’t think twice. She opened a shed, grabbed a canoe and headed out into the pond herself. Medernach trekked out onto those icy waters in a canoe, using a broom for an oar. “As soon as I took that first brush through, I fell in. I’m like, ‘I can’t die like this, I can’t let her die like this, I’m not gonna die like this,’” Medernach says.

It only took a few minutes for the rescue team to arrive and get Cathy and Bailey out of the frigid waters, averting a tragedy. Aurora Fire Marshal Javon Cross says that young Caden's actions were heroic:

“Many kudos to him for being able to keep a calm head, follow the instructions."

 

 

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