Dog Runs to Forest upon Hearing a Scream, Owner Follows and Sees a Child’s Hat Floating in Lake – Story of the Day

A heroic dog ran through the woods upon hearing a high-pitched scream. When his owner found him by the lake, he saw a child's hat floating in the distance, making him fear the worst.

Joshua was a single 28-year-old businessman who loved nature. During his free time, he always took trips to different nature trails, where he would hike and camp with his dog Buzz.

On a particular trip, Josh and Buzz were walking along a trail leading to a big lake, hoping to take a dip in the water when they suddenly heard a loud, high-pitched scream.

Joshua and Buzz were hiking when they heard a loud-pitched scream. | Source: Pexels

Because Buzz was sensitive to sounds, he started to panic and broke away, his leash slipping from Joshua's grip. He sprinted in the direction of the scream, and Joshua motioned to follow him.

"Buzz!" he called after his dog. "Not so fast!" he said, running after him. But Buzz ran a lot faster than him, and the dog was out of sight in a couple of seconds.

After a minute or two, Joshua reached the trail's end where the lake was. "Buzz!" he called out. "Where are you?"

The trail led Joshua to the lake, where he searched for Buzz. | Source: Pexels

Looking straight ahead at the lake, Joshua saw a bright yellow hat floating. "Oh no," he said to himself. It was a child's hat and he thought maybe the child had drowned.

He quickly took off his shoes, preparing to leap into the water and search for the child, then he suddenly heard Buzz barking from nearby. Upon taking a closer look, he saw Buzz sitting beside a crying woman, embracing a wet child on the ground.

"Buzz," he said, approaching the scene. "Are you alright, ma'am? What happened?" Joshua asked the woman, who was clutching her child in her arms.

Joshua saw a yellow hat floating in the lake and thought someone had drowned. | Source: Pexels

"Your dog!" the woman cried. "If it weren't for your dog, my daughter would not be here with me," she said, still embracing the young girl.

"I was fixing our table by the picnic grounds right there by the woods, and I didn't realize my daughter had walked towards the lake. She jumped in and she doesn't know how to swim," she explained, still catching her breath from crying.

"I screamed, and in a matter of seconds, your dog rushed to the water to pull her out. If it weren't for your dog, I might not have been able to save my daughter on time. He is a hero! I can't thank him enough," the woman said, patting Buzz on the back.

The mom was preparing the picnic table when her daughter went to the lake. | Source: Pexels

At that moment, the young girl in the woman's arms sat up. She looked about five years old and appeared disoriented.

"You're alright, sweetie. Mommy's with you. This brave pup over here saved you. Can you believe it?" she told her daughter.

The young girl looked over at Buzz and smiled softly. "Thank you," she said. Buzz wagged his tail in excitement as if he could understand what was happening.

Buzz wagged his tail in excitement seeing everyone around him. | Source: Pexels

Joshua couldn't believe that Buzz had saved a girl's life. Although he had always seen Buzz as his protector, he didn't think he'd be able to save someone else.

"I'm glad that Buzz here was able to help you. Is there anything else you need assistance with?" Joshua asked.

The mom shook her head. "Thank you," she smiled. "My name is Mia, and this is my daughter Emily. What's your name?" she asked Joshua.

"I'm Joshua. It's nice to meet you both, even though it was in such a terrible circumstance," he greeted.

Joshua was proud of Buzz for his bravery and loyalty. | Source: Pexels

"I'd really like to repay you and Buzz somehow, Joshua. Would you like to have lunch with us? I cooked some homemade meals. We can eat together at the picnic grounds," Mia invited.

"That's not necessary. You don't have to repay us at all," Joshua assured Mia.

"Please, have lunch with us, mister!" Emily chimed in. "It's always just mom and me. It would be nice to have other company," she said.

"Em, you don't have to tell them that!" Mia laughed. "I'm sorry about that," she apologized to Joshua.

The mother and child quickly felt comfortable around Joshua and Buzz. | Source: Pexels

"Don't worry about it; it's always just Buzz and me too! We'd love to have other company," Joshua smiled as they made their way to the picnic grounds.

Mia, Emily, Joshua, and Buzz spent the entire afternoon together, enjoying the home-cooked meals Mia had prepared. They played fetch with Buzz by throwing him twigs and roasted some marshmallows in a small fire for dessert.

Throughout the afternoon, they got to know each other, where Mia revealed that she had been a single mom since Emily's birth. Likewise, Joshua disclosed that he was a bachelor and that Buzz was his only companion at home.

Mia, Joshua, and Emily enjoyed the afternoon together. | Source: Pexels

With Emily and Buzz's blessings, the pair started to date. Emily was delighted to have found a new friend in Buzz, and it didn't take long for the dog to grow comfortable with his new family members.

Eventually, Mia and Joshua married, becoming a happy family alongside Emily and Buzz. Whenever people would ask them about their story, it would always blow their minds to learn that it was all thanks to a dog who saved the life of a young girl.

What can we learn from this story?

• Sometimes, the most beautiful beginnings spring from the most challenging situations. Joshua and Buzz were just out on one of their many nature trips when they heard a cry for help. Ultimately, this cry for help led to a beautiful beginning for them, as they found love and a family on that strange, fated day.
• Help can come in the most unexpected ways and from the most unexpected sources. Mia never imagined a dog would save her daughter's life, but Buzz did. People are lucky to have such faithful companions in their pets, so they must be cherished and taken care of, especially since they dedicate their whole lives to their owners.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who heard his dog barking from afar, only to find him sitting beside an abandoned baby by the road.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.