A devoted service dog named Figo threw himself in front of an oncoming school bus yesterday to save his blind owner from being struck and killed.
The golden retriever’s selfless act of bravery in the town of Brewster, New York on Monday spared the life of 62-year-old Audrey Stone who suffered non life-threatening injuries in the traffic mishap.
Figo and Stone each remain hospitalized today, but emergency responders say the canine took the brunt of the impact -- as it had intended -- after which, in a moving display of mutual devotion, both injured victims crawled to each other.
A witness who ran to help them said the service dog was "flopping over to [Stone] and she didn't want him to get away from her either. She kept screaming his name," the man said, and "we kept telling her he was fine."
Throughout, seeing-eye dog Figo remained stoic though, allowing emergency responders to treat his injuries without a sound as he “kept pulling toward” his distraught human.
“He did not want to leave her side,” confirmed Brewster Police Chief, John Del Gardo. “He stood right with her. He was there to save her."
And save her he did -- Stone suffered a broken ankle, ribs and elbow, in addition to a gash on her head; while Figo’s wounds require surgery, a leg splint and, ultimately, longer-term hospitalization at the animal clinic.
It’s now day two of the investigation into how the near-fatal accident could have occurred and the two patients are reportedly “on the mend,” but despondent over their separation.
