Eric Bunnell's People: 'OK, I gotta go get him': Man recounts dramatic Lake Margaret rescue

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He would do it again.

He’s Rick – no last name, please, he says, because he’s had enough attention online, already.

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But the 49-year-old health-care worker is willing to chat, because he agrees with a column that 2020 was a year that was, and we need some good news.

His certainly is.

It was Rick’s dog, Elias, who got away Saturday afternoon with his harness and leash on a walk around frozen Lake Margaret, and chased resident Canada geese far out onto the ice.

Where Elias broke through into deep water.

There was no time to think. Just react.

“I saw him struggling and he was making a lot of noise,” Rick says of Elias, a year-old husky-shepherd-lab rescue who Rick took home only in October.

 “My heart broke for him. Like I’m, ‘OK, I gotta get him out.’”

Rick chucked his headphones and cell and threw off his coat, and got onto the ice. He crawled to Elias. But trying to grab the dog, Rick broke through, too, into water over his head.

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Long story short, though more in a bit, the two were able to get out and get safely to shore.

And most importantly today, Rick and Elias are suffering no lasting effects.

It wasn’t the first time for a walk around the flooded, former gravel pit, now arguably one of the city’s most delightful promenades.

A short drive from home and the outing had been uneventful. Elias hadn’t been interested before in the lake’s much-photographed geese. In fact, the last time, he had avoided them on the lakeshore.

This time, though, he was curious and as the two were returning to the car, he slipped out of Rick’s control.

 “He started running. I was like, ‘Oh, no!’ So I started walking towards him and I started saying his name, and he didn’t even bat an eye. I didn’t even exist, as far as he was concerned. He was gone.”

Ignoring Rick’s calls, Elias chased the birds onto Lake Margaret as they fled for safety.

Where he went through.

 Rick followed Elias out.

“He was like in total panic. He was swimming fine; his two front paws were up on the ice. I started crawling to him. He was really yelping and yelling and crying.

“I grabbed him by the harness and his weight and my weight together, the ice broke. I went in. I swam behind him. Half of his weight already was on the ice. I gave him a little push and he got right up and he shook himself off and he waited for me.”

And, most fortunately, Rick recalled a video he had seen online which demonstrated how to self-rescue.

“You don’t crawl your way out because the ice will just break … you roll yourself out. I remembered the video and I went along the ice sideways and I rolled up with my shoulder.”

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Neighbours had called 9-1-1 but as St. Thomas fire department pulled up, Rick and Elias were back on shore – Rick looked for thicker ice and they walked together to land. And Rick waived off assistance.

“I said I’m 10 minutes away. I’m going to go home and warm up and take a hot shower.

“And that was it. We were done.”

Looking back, Rick says he would do it again, for Elias or for anyone else’s dog.

 “They’re animals and especially if they are panicky and you don’t think they’re going to make it, yeah, I’d be out there in a second. Because that’s what you do.”

And you know, I don’t think Rick would be alone.

* * *

Kim Destun, St. Thomas fire department fire prevention officer, understands what drove Rick onto the ice to rescue Elias.

“Human instinct is to go help.”

All the same, she says the fire department is specially equipped for water and ice rescue and is ready for such an emergency.

“The thing we would urge would be to call us, rather than just go out there on your own – because then we have two things to rescue.”

Indeed, the fire department in past has saved dogs and, deer, that have fallen through ice. It’s a public safety issue.

“The thing is if we were to say ‘No, we’re not going out there,’ invariably, somebody’s going out. The public is going to try and make that attempt, and then we could be in real trouble with somebody through the ice.”

Destun said the fire department received multiple 9-1-1 calls about Saturday’s incident. She estimates response time to the lake at four minutes. She says that would have been enough time to help.

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She said Rick was “really lucky.”

* * *

Signs of the times. The sign is off the walk-in Tim Hortons store on Talbot. St. across from city hall, the shelves empty of baked goods, and the lights out.

No immediate comment from the resto.

* * *

St. Thomas and Elgin certainly didn’t ignore the Sally Ann’s kettles this Christmas past.

Although the Salvation Army’s annual campaign was scaled back because of the pandemic, the community still contributed $147,568 – every dollar of which remains in StT and E to serve through the year, notes Capt. Nyree Bond, officer commanding the St. Thomas Army corps.

And she adds:

“We are so grateful for the support from our community this year. We recognize that it has been a difficult year for everyone, and we have all been impacted by this pandemic in various ways.

“We are humbled by your faith in us to provide hope to others in our community. Thank you to ALL of our volunteers, community partners and donors. We appreciate each of you who led to the success of this campaign. Thank you for giving hope!”

* * *

And supporters of Port Stanley Festival Theatre were generous with their donations decorating a virtual Christmas tree.

PSFT’s Fill the Tree campaign raised $17,770 in one-time donations and annual pledges to keep the lights on at the theatre. (A pledge campaign for ongoing, monthly donations, continues.)

“We are overwhelmed and inspired by the outpour of generosity shown by our patrons and community,” says Natasha Newby, theatre manager.

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* * *

Favoured local historians Frank and Nancy Prothero write from Port Stanley:

“There seems to be a hell of a lot of whining about the hardships of living through this pandemic. We are being asked to stay at home (warm and comfortable) and watch TV, read or pursue a hobby, maybe even talk to that other person sharing our space. Terrible hardships indeed.

Flash back to 1939 to 1945. Very few families had a car. If they did, gasoline was strictly rationed and tires simply weren’t available. So walk.

Meat was scarce and was also rationed. So were butter and sugar. You had to have the tokens or ration cards to purchase these. We ate a lot of soup. Fish and chips every Friday. Save the meat for the soldiers.

The house might be comfortably warm in the evening but freezing cold in the morning. The coal furnace couldn’t maintain the heat overnight.

We all had loved ones in jeopardy. What we feared most of all was a visit from the telegram delivery boy.

Lots of us did not have telephones.

Clothes for kids were not exactly stylish. “Clean and paid for” was the standard.

Money? Nobody had any. It was the eternal search for a dime.

PlayStation 5? No. Checkers and skating on the creek or pond.

Tom Brokaw called our parents “the Greatest Generation”.

Maybe they were. One thing for sure, there wasn’t much whining in those crucial years. Perhaps your grandfather or great grandfather is not very impressed with those who inherited the world he offered his life to save.”

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* * *

Lastly today, here we are, together again. We’ve made it through 2020 to a whole new year! (And, maybe, a whole new decade, as well. I never could figure that. Math is tough.)

As I write this, the weather this morning is sunny and it’s not too cold today for a walk.

And we are just about halfway into what, hopefully, will be just a 28-day shutdown to put the brakes on the pandemic … much, however, depending how we behave. Let’s call the four weeks half over, and not half to go, and hang in there!

(Here’s a question for you. As we support our local shops and restos with curbside pickup, takeout and delivery, just how is one supposed to do All You Can Eat?)

All the same, when I chatter optimistically to the front room that the days also now are getting longer, I hear back, “Yes. They. Certainly. Are.”

Not entirely sure the message there.

Stay well, everyone!

ericbunnellspeople@gmail.com