A three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix, named Bear, saved his owner’s life in Bonfield, northern Ontario, by performing CPR after a massive heart attack.
Our Lord’s design for companionship between humans and animals goes beyond what we can understand. When God created animals, He gave them special gifts to help and protect us. This story shows us how He works through our faithful four-legged friends.
Late one night in August 2022, Darren Cropper, who served in the Canadian Armed Forces, woke up feeling sick in his home in Bonfield, Ontario. At 1 AM, he went downstairs to make some coffee. His body felt strange, but he wasn’t in pain. “Everything felt fuzzy,” he said. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he passed out.
Bear comes from a special family – both his parents were service dogs. Though no one trained him in emergency response, he knew what to do when his owner needed help.
For three long hours, Bear jumped up and down on Darren’s chest, doing what looked like CPR. When Darren woke up briefly, he saw Bear on his chest. “He wasn’t even trained to do it. He just did it,” Darren told others later.
When his first attempts didn’t fully wake Darren, Bear ran upstairs at 4 AM. He jumped on Janice, Darren’s wife, and started howling loud enough to wake their son too. Bear’s noise and movement told them something was wrong.
Janice followed Bear downstairs and found her husband of 35 years lying unconscious. “I came down and the dog had jumped over the couch and onto Darren,” Janice remembered.
Janice called 911 right away. The doctors found out Darren had a severe heart attack called a ‘widowmaker.’ They took him to a hospital in Sudbury where he needed triple bypass surgery that lasted five hours.
Darren spent a whole year working to get back to his normal life. He still suffers from the side effects of the heart attack. When he finally came home from the hospital, Bear gave him a welcome that brought tears to his eyes.
“When I first saw him when I got home, he came right to me and jumped in my arms and I just broke down crying,” Darren shared.
Bear’s brave actions didn’t go unnoticed. In 2024, Purina chose him for their Animal Hall of Fame. Soon, Bear and his family will go to Purina’s main office in Mississauga for a special ceremony.
Darren knows how much he owes to his furry friend: “If it wasn’t for him, everything would be a lot different.”
The Lord often sends help in ways we don’t expect. Sometimes His angels have fur and walk on four legs. Bear’s story shows us how God uses His creation to watch over us. He places special guardians in our lives – some wear collars instead of halos.
We thank God for giving us these loving protectors who show us His care every day.
WATCH: Hero Dog Saves Owner’s Life by Performing CPR
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