Share
Lifestyle & Human Interest

Good Samaritan Leaves His Own Birthday Party to Rescue Dog Drowning in River

Share

It seems that Gabe Castellanos was meant to celebrate his 38th birthday along the East River in New York City.

His life intertwined with a 2-year-old dog named Harper that day, who may have drowned in the river had it not been for Castellanos.

Harper was supposed to be walking safe and sound with a dog walker as arranged by her owner, Erin O’Donnell.

Trending:
Prince Harry Named in Major Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Against Rapper

But according to WLNY-TV, the dog walker was hit by a car. Terrified and confused, Harper bolted away from the scene and somehow ended up swimming alone in the East River.

O’Donnell told WLNY that her dog had never been swimming before, and from the looks of video footage taken by witness Lorenzo Fonda, the dog was struggling to keep her head above water.

Castellanos was celebrating his birthday with friends when the group spotted the dog in the middle of the river.

He said that his brother casually suggested that Castellanos jump in and rescue her — and the birthday boy agreed it was the right thing to do.

Castellanos found a life jacket and ran to the middle of the bridge, carefully choosing where he would jump into the water.

By this time, a crowd had gathered to watch the dramatic rescue unfold.

Related:
Actor Found Himself with an Undeniable 'Craving' After Filming Missionary Movie

When Castellanos came within an arm’s reach of Harper, the stressed-out, frightened dog was so startled that she lunged at Castellanos’ face.

She bit him on the face and hit him squarely in the mouth, but Castellanos understood her peril and knew that he needed to continue with the rescue. Thankfully, he wasn’t put off by her attack.

He managed to take hold of Harper’s collar and guide her toward the shoreline, where a crowd of anxious bystanders applauded as the nail-biting rescue came to a close.

Harper sustained minor injuries on her paws and has been wearing protective booties on her feet while her paws heal.

Castellanos also has some healing to do, but he said that his injuries were worth it.

“She caught me there with her upper canines and her lower jaw hit me right square in the front teeth,” Castellanos told Inside Edition.

Castellanos has some dental work ahead of him, but he is not bothered by it, saying good-naturedly that actually, he had been needing some dental work anyway.

He told WLNY that as a pet owner himself, he was glad to be able to rescue Harper.

“Even if it’s not my pet, I would do it again. One hundred percent,” Castellanos said.

O’Donnell said publicly that she was “forever grateful” for Castellanos’ role in saving her dog. The dog walker has minor injuries and is reported to be recovering as well.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , ,
Share
A graduate of Grand Canyon University, Kim Davis has been writing for The Western Journal since 2015, focusing on lifestyle stories.
Kim Davis began writing for The Western Journal in 2015. Her primary topics cover family, faith, and women. She has experience as a copy editor for the online publication Thoughtful Women. Kim worked as an arts administrator for The Phoenix Symphony, writing music education curriculum and leading community engagement programs throughout the region. She holds a degree in music education from Grand Canyon University with a minor in eating tacos.
Birthplace
Page, Arizona
Education
Bachelor of Science in Music Education
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Lifestyle & Human Interest




Conversation