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Throughout the week, our ACC Team searches through emails and news articles looking for someone who deserves to be the Kidde Hero of the Week…
You might’ve caught this story on The Today Show earlier this year…
Ruby, a Border Collie-Australian Shepherd mix, is a search and rescue dog with the Rhode Island State Police Department. She won national recognition as part of 2018 American Humane Hero Dog Awards and appeared on several TV shows.
Well, Ruby didn’t always have all this fame. She was adopted and then returned to the animal shelter five times. She was in danger of being put down, but she had several advocates working with her at that shelter. One was a trainer who believed in her and put her through more testing. That trainer convinced the police department to do another evaluation. And that time it worked! Ruby got her police search and rescue degree and was paired up with Trooper Daniel O’Neil.
Trooper O’Neil has spoken about Ruby’s incredible ability during search and rescue missions. The one that got her national attention is the story of a young man who was barely alive after being lost in the woods for more than 36 hours.
You see, that young man’s mother was the trainer that saved Ruby’s life! The trainer believed Ruby would make a great rescue dog, and she had no idea how right she would end up being…
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Kix’s Response:
There are a lot of heroes in this story – from that trainer to, of course, Ruby. She had the chance to become a great dog – a dog that has gone on to save lives! We never know just how connected we all are… and this story just sounds like it was all meant to be!
So, Ruby – you are this week’s Kidde Hero!
For more, check out this story from Today:
Nominate a Hero of the Week
Now, we want to know who has made a difference in your life. Nominate a local firefighter, police officer, EMT or someone who is serving our country in the military. It could even be a neighbor, family member or friend who lent a crucial helping hand. Let us know all about the person who you feel is a real life hero by emailing us here and please feel free to send us a picture!