When devastating floodwaters surged into her neighborhood, Chloe Adams had just minutes to make an unthinkable decision — how to save both herself and her beloved dog, Sandy.
The water was rising fast, and to escape, Chloe would need to swim from her home to a neighbor’s rooftop. But there was one huge problem: Sandy, her childhood companion, is a senior dog who can’t swim.
“I was more afraid of losing her in the water than I was of anything happening to me,” Chloe told The Dodo. “I needed something to keep her safe and afloat.”
In a desperate attempt, Chloe first tried using Sandy’s dog bed, but it immediately sank. Then she found a large plastic container that Sandy could fit inside — but that, too, started taking on water.
Thinking quickly, Chloe stuffed a couch cushion underneath the container to give it buoyancy. Holding onto Sandy’s makeshift boat, Chloe swam through the chilly, debris-filled floodwaters to a nearby rooftop, where she was finally able to pull both of them to safety.
For the next five hours, Chloe and Sandy waited in the cold and rain, surrounded by rising waters. Chloe held Sandy in her lap and shielded her from the rain with the same plastic bin that had helped save her life.
Eventually, Chloe’s uncle arrived in a kayak to rescue them both. They are now recovering at Chloe’s grandmother’s house, safe and deeply grateful to still be together.
“We comfort each other during hard times,” Chloe said. “When I’m hurting, she lays her head in my lap. When she’s scared, I hold her and tell her it’s going to be OK.”
You can support Chloe and Sandy’s recovery by donating to their GoFundMe here.
