FORT MYERS, FLORIDA — Video captured of a man risking his life to rescue a dog from drowning in the midst of Hurricane Ian’s most violent hours went viral on Wednesday. Shared on Twitter by News Nation correspondent Brian Entin, the video garnered over 1.4 million views as of Thursday morning.
The beginning of the recording shows a man leaving a marina, waist deep in water, holding a dog in his arms. Boats violently rock in the background and large pieces of debris can be seen flying past the man as he trudges through the turbulent waves. Once he reaches the shore, the man puts the dog down and uses a leash to walk her to safety.
The man’s heroism wasn’t over. According to Entin, “he went back and got a cat too.”
Check it out:
Dog rescued from sailboat in Fort Myers. He went back and got a cat too. pic.twitter.com/JFcWl4972g
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 28, 2022
Entin tweeted an update this morning with a photo of the rescued dog, writing: “She’s doing well today!”
VIRAL CAT RESCUE
Although the circumstances were not quite as daunting, another Florida man put himself in harm’s way to save the life of a cat stranded in the midst of the storm.
Megan Scavo posted a video on Twitter showing her boyfriend, Mike Ross, rescuing a cat squatting on top of an air conditioning unit on the side of a house. Beneath the unit, rushing flood waters surrounded the once dry land. Ross picks up the cat and walks him to safety.
Ross told Boston.com that the cat “looks healthy” and that his family will hold onto the rescued feline if they are unable to find the original owners.
My boyfriend saving a cat from flood waters near Bonita Beach. #HurricaneIan #Naples #Bonita #FortMyers pic.twitter.com/BlBC9P1rdy
— Megan Cruz Scavo (@MeganScavo) September 28, 2022
MORE DOGS RESCUED
Flooded regions still plague much of the state even after the storm has passed, and animals are often even more vulnerable than humans in these situations. Videos and photos of rescued animals make for much-needed encouragement in the somber days that follow a natural disaster.
Old Row shared a video on Instagram of two dogs taken in by men on a boat. Their enthusiasm at being reunited is sure to pull on the heart strings of animal lovers and curmudgeons alike.
