While many of us were swept up in holiday proceedings last week, a devastating crash in Texas left two dead, dozens injured, and one boy heartbroken over the loss of his dog.
Damien Ortiz and his mother Isidora Lopez were in one of the more than 100 vehicles caught up in the crash. Though they sustained minor injuries, Damien and his mom decided to use the Thanksgiving turkey and fixings they were transporting to make sandwiches and pass them out to nearby cars trapped in the snarl.
However, Damien and Lopez took to their act of kindness with a heavy heart. Their dog, Bo, had somehow jumped from their car during the melee and ran off. Lopez said she was sure the family would never see their pet again. "When we got out of the vehicle, he just kind of ran off. I was calling him and I thought he would come back. But he didn't," she told KBMT.
While people caught in the ensuing backup comforted each other and tried to help authorities make sense of the crash, Blake Jones, a tow truck driver who had been sent to clear the scene, spotted Bo and figured the dog must have belonged to someone involved in the wreck.
Though he was prepared to take the dog in, he sent a picture of the pup to his girlfriend, who helped spread the word. It didn't take long to find Bo's family, and Damien and his dog were treated to a heartwarming reunion on Friday.
"I mean everybody won on that one," Jones said. "I get the dog back to his rightful owner, and I don't have to bring him back to my house. It worked out good for both sides."
Lopez said she is proud of her son for staying brave during the ordeal, and thankful, not only that she and her family are safe, but that even in tragic times, people still seem to care about the little things.
"It was a crazy day but I was just thankful we're OK and we're still walking," she said. "There's a lot of people hurt, and they took the time to find out who Bo belonged to."
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