Realising one of your children is missing must be one
of the most terrifying things in the world.
As a parent, your first instincts are to love and
protect your child at all costs, so when they’re gone and you can’t do anything
to remedy the situation it’s not long before the panic sets in.
This is exactly what the parents of six-year-old Kaydon
Leach experienced when their boy went missing on the evening of April 23 with
his dog, Chula.
Authorities began a search at 7pm that would involve
100 people and stretch well through the night and into Tuesday. When they found
Kaydon, he wasn’t alone …
Kaydon Leach disappeared in Blount County, Tennessee on
the evening of April 23. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation soon issued an
Endangered Child Alert, with rescue teams conducting grid searches through a
2,000-acre area over the night.
Given that Kaydon is just six-years-old, fears for his
safety were paramount. The large-scale operation to find him included the
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, K-9 teams, Blount County Sheriff’s Office
SWAT Team, a Black Hawk military helicopter and volunteer search parties from
the local area.
After 22 hours, Kaydon was found about a half mile away
from his home in the Top of the World Community in Blount County at 3:30pm
local time on April 24.
Despite the fantastic efforts of the many involved in
the search to find him, however, it’s not the police, fire department or
volunteers who are being recognised as the true heroes of the tale. Instead,
it’s the black and white terrier Kaydon had with him; Chula.
With Kaydon missing for an entire night in the rain,
Chula guarded his master and kept him safe until others could reach him.
According to Blount County Sheriff’s Office Chief
Deputy Jeff French: “The dog actually growled at the rescuers when they
approached Kaydon.”
In the dark and the rain, in the bleakness of the
night, Chula stayed by his master’s side. What a good boy he is!
This is the dog that was guarding 6-year-old Kaydon Leach when a search crew found them this afternoon. The boy & his dog were missing overnight in the rain for 22 hours. @wbir https://t.co/FJBpJfjNCp pic.twitter.com/gsKeMTR1mt— Melissa Erickson (@mel_erickson) April 24, 2018
Kaydon was cold when he was found, with rescuers
wrapping him in jackets and carrying him up the mountain to the road. He was
later taken to Blount Memorial Hospital. In a statement his family expressed
their gratitude for all those who took part in the search.
“We’re so thankful to everyone, from local law
enforcement agencies to volunteers, who helped us find Kaydon. The amount of
support we have received has been tremendous, even from people we don’t even
know. We appreciate all our friends and neighbors, and ask for privacy at this
time.”
I’m so happy that story had a good ending. It’s true what
they say about dogs; they really are man’s best friend.
Share this story if you think dogs are the perfect pet! Help
us pay tribute to Chula!
Source : newsner.com