Westcreek – When Iraq war veteran Mike Miller and his wife, Mindy, learned that a road to their creek-bottom home was washed out, they knew they didn’t have time to hesitate.
Yogi, their black-and-white blue heeler, was chained in the garage. The rain-swollen creek that was washing out bridges and carrying away huge trees threatened to drown the dog. In a pounding rainstorm Friday, the couple dashed up a slippery, steep hill.
At the top, they heard a muffled yelp and a gurgling sound.
“He kicked it up into another speed and ran down the hill,” said Reuben Armstead, 23, Miller’s brother-in-law.
Mike Miller jumped into the chest-high water, screamed at Mindy to turn off the electricity and reached for Yogi, who was doggy-paddling while straining to keep his snout above water.
“It was kind of like combat water survival,” said Mike Miller, whose Army unit is scheduled to return to Iraq this fall. “All I wanted to do was save this dog because I knew he meant everything to my wife.”
Amid the chaos, Mike Miller unleased Yogi. He carried him to Mindy, who took the shivering dog in the house and wrapped him in blankets.
“He was probably seconds away from drowning,” Mindy Miller said. “He got quite a bit of water in his lungs” and was in shock, she said.
Mindy Williams carried Yogi back up and over the hill, and the couple drove him to a Woodland Park veterinarian.
On Saturday, the Millers retrieved Yogi and took him to Mindy’s mom’s house.
Mindy Miller said she was thrilled her husband saved the life of the family pet that helps herd her 16-month-old son.
“He’s just a happy-go-lucky dog.”
