A hero dog saved a Detroit firefighter from taking his own life with a simple act of love.
Every day, our first responders rush toward danger and risk their lives to save people they have never met. These brave men and women face traumatic situations that leave lasting scars on their minds and hearts.
We can never truly understand the weight they carry from witnessing pain, loss, and tragedy day after day.
For one Detroit firefighter, this burden became almost too heavy to bear, until God worked through his faithful companion to bring him back from the edge.
Matt Dunaj felt called to help others from a young age, which led him to become a firefighter in Detroit. But over time, the weight of his work started to affect him deeply. “It adds up.
Especially if you don’t deal with it the proper way,” Dunaj shared, speaking about how each difficult call and traumatic scene left its mark on his heart.
Last August, Dunaj reached his breaking point. Years of seeing tragedy at work, along with mounting financial problems and personal challenges, pushed him to a moment of despair in his basement.
As he sat there with a loaded gun, ready to end everything, the Lord sent help through a faithful companion.
His Goldendoodle Mia heard the sound of the gun being loaded and rushed to find her owner. What happened next shows how God can work through any of His creatures to save a life.
“Thank the Lord the dog was home because she heard it and as soon as that happened she came up to me and in that unconditional love she licked me in my face and kind of got me out of it,” Dunaj remembered.
The simple act of Mia’s love pulled Dunaj back from the edge. When morning came, he took action to protect himself by asking his brother to take away his gun. He then reached out to the IFF Center for Excellence, where he found the professional help he needed to start healing his mind and spirit.
The loss of a fellow firefighter to suicide later moved Dunaj to share his story openly. He now spends precious time with Mia, taking walks and enjoying the special connection God created between them.
“Don’t stop — keep moving forward,” Dunaj tells others who might be fighting similar battles. “Eventually, something will stick and you’ll get the help you need. I’m living proof.” His words remind us that God often works through others, even our pets, to show His care for us.
When we feel lost, God provides people, resources, and sometimes even faithful pets to guide us back to hope.
Let us remember to pray for our first responders who face trauma while serving others.
May we also keep our hearts open to those around us who might need someone to listen and understand their pain.
WATCH: Loyal Dog Saves Firefighter’s Life With a Simple Lick
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