Photo: Chicago Police
A Chicago man nearly lost his life trying to save his newly adopted puppy from the frosty waters of Lake Michigan.
Pika then slipped on the ice and disappeared over the ridge, the man said. The man ran to the edge to find the pup swimming in the water. Knowing Pika had a slim chance of survival, the man jumped in.
While he was able to get the pup to safety, he soon found himself trapped in the lake.
Moments later, emergency responders with the Chicago Police Department arrived on the scene to pull the man to safety after an eyewitness called for help.
The miraculous rescue mission was captured on an officer’s body camera and shared on YouTube.
In the clip, the man can be seen standing behind huge chunks of ice on the shore as policemen rushed to his side.
“He started yelling, ‘help me, help me,”‘ CPD Officer Miguel Del Toro said during a press conference, WGN 9reported.
“We ended up crawling on our knees over the ice ridge to get to him,” Toro added.
Once the man was removed from the ice, he let out an exhausting sigh of relief.
“Take a breath man, you’re good man,” an officer can be heard telling the man in the video.
In his statement, the man thanked the officers for saving his life.
“They absolutely saved my life and I will be forever grateful to them,” the man wrote.
“The first responders treated me and my dog in the ambulance and the emergency room. They allowed Pika to stay with me under the warming blanket in the ER. My core body temperature had dropped 93 degrees.”
“Pika and I are both fully recovered and in debt to our gracious and heroic first responders,” the man added.
As brutal and deadly cold pushes across the Midwest, veterinariansurge pet ownersto not leave their dogs/cats outside for too long.
Like humans, pets can suffer from hypothermia or frostbite.
A pet’s ears, paws and tails are especially susceptible to injury. If you suspect that your pet might be suffering from hypothermia or frostbite, take him to the vet immediately. Keep walks and outdoor time to a minimum during cold weather, and always keep an eye on your pets while they are outside.
source: people.com
