In late July, Chance Patterson and his two dogs were involved in a car accident in East Vail, Colorado. After the incident, which left the man unconscious, one his beloved dogs, Izzy, disorientated from the crash, ran away.
Source: Facebook/Vail Doggie Day Spa & Lodging
As soon as Patterson came to, he realized that one of his dogs was missing. He could see his German Shepherd but the Pit Bull was missing. A witness at the scene told local Today news that the first words the man spoke when he awoke were"Are my dogs OK?."Sadly, his German Shepherd, Carlitos passed away during the crash, leaving the 22-year old man even more determined to find Izzy.Once rescue teams freed the man from his car he was rushed straight to the hospital where it was discovered that he had sustained a broken leg, ribs and elbow, and a pierced lung from the collision with a drunk driver. While the man was told to focus on recovery, his missing dog remained his first priority.
Source: Today/Chance Patterson
Luckily, local residents were determined to help find Izzy and reunite her with her human. A neighborhood wide search began and, while there had been several sightings of the Pit Bull, she was so scared after the incident that she would run away anytime someone came close.Five days after the incident, searchers received the dog's location from a group of cyclists and asked a Holly Walthers, the owner of Vail Doggie Day Spa & Lodging, the doggy daycare center that Izzy regularly visits, to send a familiar face to try and calm and secure the canine.As soon as the Pit Bull recognized a friend, she relaxed straight away and let rescuers help her. Walthers described to Today how she couldn't wait to tell Patterson the good news:
We immediately called Chance and he was crying and extremely thankful and happy.
Source: Today/Chance Patterson
After a week, the man was well enough to leave the hospital and was finally reunited with his beloved dog. Today captured their heart melting reunion of the pair who were both so lucky to survive.Patterson is now recovering well at a friend's house with his precious dogs and as soon as he is back on his feet will return home with them.The driver of the car that hit the little family faces police charges but the man explains that he holds no anger towards her:
I just want her to know I'm not mad. She's alive, I'm alive, and that's all that matters.
Source: Today/Chance Patterson
Patterson and Izzy are both lucky to have made it and hope that others in the future will seriously think before they decide to drive under the influence of alcohol.
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