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Heroic dog ran 4 miles to campsite, alerting injured owner's loved ones after roll-over car crash

Brandon Garrett was driving to a campsite with his four dogs when he missed a curve and rolled his truck down a steep embankment.

Photos courtesy of Baker County Sheriff's Office

Blue managed to make his way to camp after his owner crashed the truck they were traveling in.

The phrase "dog is a man's best friend" takes on a whole new meaning in a hero dog story coming out of the Pacific Northwest.

On the afternoon of June 2, 2024, Brandon Garrett was driving on a forest service road in Baker County, Oregon, when he lost control of his truck on a curve and tumbled down the steep embankment into a ravine. The 62-year-old was traveling with his four dogs to a camp nearly four miles from the scene of the accident.

One of those dogs, Blue, ran away from the crash site and headed to the familiar campsite where Garrett was scheduled to meet a friend that afternoon. When Garrett was late and then Blue showed up alone, with glass in his snout, the friend Garrett was supposed to meet knew something wasn't right.

Garrett's friends and family searched for him through the night and finally spotted his truck in the ravine in the morning. The steep, unstable terrain, however, made it impossible for them to reach the truck without rappelling gear.

Garrett's brother, Tyree Garrett, told the New York Times that he could see Garrett's injured dogs near the truck. He called out his brother's name but got no response. “It stopped my heart,” he said. “I just, God darn, thought for sure my brother was gone.”

white pickup truck on its side in a creek

Brandon Garrett's truck landed in a creek in a deep ravine.

Photo courtesy of Baker County Sheriff's Office

Tyree drove to where he could get a cell signal and called for help. First responders from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Baker County Search and Rescue, Pine Valley Rural Fire District and Halfway Ambulance all responded to the scene. Sheriff Travis Ash located the truck and one of Garrett's dogs in the ravine, but as he searched for a way down the embankment to access the creek, he heard a man's voice yelling for help.

Garrett had crawled about 100 yards from the vehicle, where he spent the night in the cold and pouring rain. Sheriff Ash made his way down the steep, brushy slope to where Garrett lay and began to administer first aid. Meanwhile, Pine Valley Rural Fire volunteers and U.S. Forest Service employees used chainsaws to clear a path for the rescue team.

rescue team setting up highline rope system

A highline rope system was used to bring Garrett to safety.

Photo courtesy of Baker County Sheriff's Office

Getting Garrett to safety and the medical care he needed was no easy feat due to the treacherous landscape and where he was located. Using the cleared path, the team was able to get a rescue basket to Garrett, and the Baker County Search and Rescue Ropes Team set up a highline rope system to transport him across the ravine after he was secured in it.

man being pulled in a rescue basket on ropes across a ravine

The search and rescue team pulled Garrett across the ravine in a rescue basket.

Photo courtesy of Baker County Sheriff's Office

Once he was safely across, Garrett was transported by ambulance to a Life Flight helicopter and then airlifted to a regional hospital.

"This was an incredibly technical rescue performed by Baker County Search and Rescue utilizing a highline rope system. BCSO was also grateful for Pine Valley Rural Fire Protection District, Halfway Ambulance, Life Flight and the U.S. Forest Service employees that provided assistance during the rescue," Baker County Sheriff's Office tells Upworthy. "This was truly a team effort!"

The sheriff's office also reports that Garrett has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home. According to the New York Times, Garrett had injured his ankle and his body was badly battered and bruised. All of the dogs survived the crash, one with a broken hip and an injured femur and another with leg broken in two spots.

But thanks to good boy Blue's memory and his making sure someone knew they needed help, everyone appears to be on the mend.

man with arms around a gray and white whippet dog

Good boy, Blue helped save his human.

Photo courtesy of Baker County Sheriff's Office

Find more images of the rescue on the Baker County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.


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The internet's rallying behind these kids big time after a tragedy took their parents.

Unthinkable tragedy struck the Clemens family of Texas in April.

On April 7, 2018, Jim and Karisa Clemens — along with their 2-month-old, Julieanna — were killed driving home from a family outing.

A vehicle crossed the highway median and struck the Clemens' Suburban, killing the parents and baby, according to San Angelo Live. Jim and Karisa's four other children, who'd all been in the car too — Angela, Zachary, Wyatt, and Nicholas — survived the crash with varying degrees of injury.

The Clemens family months before the accident. Left to right: Zachary, Karisa (pregnant with Julieanna), Angela, Jim, Wyatt, and Nicholas (in his dad's arms). Photo via Teresa Burrell, used with permission.

There are no words to describe what Angela, Zachary, Wyatt, and Nicholas are going through after that.

The emotional and physical toll they've endured the past few weeks — recovery from a multitude of injuries and the devastation of losing both parents — is unfathomable.

Nicholas, 2, was released from the hospital a few days after the accident, the children's great-aunt Teresa Burrell confirms. He's doing well. Wyatt, 4, experienced brain trauma and strokes in the aftermath of the crash, leaving him with paralysis on his left side.

Zachary, 5, suffered significant setbacks, including bruised lungs and a broken back. And 8-year-old Angela sustained broken legs from the crash and severe head trauma. She was in a coma the first week after the crash, and the family still isn't sure how much brain damage has occurred, Burrell says.

The physical and emotional healing is just beginning for the Clemens kids. But they're "very resilient," according to their great-aunt. And, crucially, they have each other.

A few days ago, Angela and Zachary were reunited for the first time after the wreck.

A physical therapist at the hospital caught the heartbreaking yet hopeful moment in a photo as the brother and sister laid side by side, hand in hand.

The image has tugged on the heartstrings of many.

Angela and Zachary. Photo courtesy of Teresa Burrell, used with permission.

"My heart is bursting!" someone commented on the photo, which was shared with a note describing each child's progress and the challenges that lie ahead. "They are such special spirits."

"I’m so glad these beautiful kids are surrounded by their loved ones and improving every day," someone else chimed in.

"Omg," another wrote. "This picture has a million feelings running through me."

Through an online fundraiser, Burrell is keeping family and friends — and now big-hearted supporters from around the world — updated on the kids' recoveries.

The family launched the page to help with the massive financial burdens associated with the tragedy. "The children will need extensive care for many months," Burrell wrote. "We are seeking funds to help with the funeral arrangements and for medical care [for] these sweet little children."

Zachary, Wyatt, and Angela. Photo courtesy of Teresa Burrell, used with permission.

Faith has always been important to the Clemens family. So the outpouring of positive thoughts and prayers from people near and far — from Germany and New York to Taiwan and California — has made a big difference.

"We have been upheld from people of many different faiths and beliefs who have prayed for us and the children," she says. "It is humbling and brings peace in a very difficult time."

Fortunately, there have been many milestones worth celebrating since Angela, Zachary, Wyatt, and Nicholas entered care.

While the extent of Angela's brain damage has yet to be determined, the improvement she's shown has been encouraging, Burrell says. In a matter of days, the 8-year-old went from speaking just one word to reading and singing along with her siblings.

Wyatt, too, has made remarkable progress. Working with a physical therapist, he took his first steps after the accident. He's able to lift his left arm above his head and throw a ball. "Now they have to make sure he doesn't try to run away from them because he doesn't have his balance yet," Burrell says.

Wyatt. Photo courtesy of Teresa Burrell, used with permission.

Zachary has a particularly tough road ahead though. "We are asking for prayers for our little Zachary," Burrell requests, noting he's still fighting through respiratory issues and will have many more surgeries down the road. "He is really having a hard time with his internal injuries."

But the Clemens kids have "astounded" doctors with their recoveries thus far. And there's plenty of reason to hope that progress will continue in the weeks and months ahead.

It won't be easy. But these kids have an incredible support system to rely on — and lots of fun sibling time to sustain the smiles when times get tough.

Photo courtesy of Teresa Burrell, used with permission.

"We have all been moved by [the kids'] faith, courage, and support [for] one another," Burrell wrote in a Facebook post. "It is a testament of their wonderful parents."

To stay updated on the Clemens' recoveries and support the family's fundraiser, visit Burrell's page on Facebook.

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