Few moments are more cherished between a dog and their person than a quiet evening walk through familiar paths.
Stella, an eight-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, and her owner, Gary Overman, live for those walks. Nearly every day, they explore the riverside trails and open fields they’ve come to know so well, savoring every step together.
That same sense of routine carried them into what they thought would be another peaceful stroll near their favorite meadow along the Colorado River in Arizona.
But this time, something went terribly wrong.
A Vanishing Act Turns Into Panic
On previous outings, Stella would often disappear into the brush by the riverbank, only to return moments later. So when she slipped into the thicket again, Gary didn’t worry at first.
“She has wandered off before, but also always has come back,” Gary told The Dodo. “Her sense of where home is has been displayed several times to be absolutely incredible.”
But after fifteen minutes with no sign of her, concern turned to fear. He called her name again and again, then activated the alarm on her collar, a signal that usually brought her running.
Still no response. Time dragged on, and more than ninety minutes passed with no trace of Stella. Gary was torn between staying put or searching further.
“I didn’t know what the right thing to do was,” he admitted. “Do I leave the spot where I know she knows where to come back to and try to find her? Or do I just stay put? I decided to stay put.”
Eventually, he realized she wasn’t coming back on her own. Worried she might have crossed into unfamiliar territory, he headed toward the border, hoping she was safe.
A Rescue That Changed Everything
About a mile downstream in Yuma, Arizona, U.S. Border Patrol agents were monitoring the river when one of them spotted frantic splashing in the water.
Looking closer, they saw an animal struggling to stay afloat, drifting toward their boat. The agents acted quickly, cutting the engine and diving into the cold current.
Within seconds, they pulled the exhausted dog aboard. Her collar tag read “Stella.” They had just saved her life, and were about to change someone else’s.
They dialed the number on the tag, and Gary, nearly beside himself, picked up. Relief flooded his voice.
“It was a huge blessing. What a difference these guys make,” he said, as quoted by US Border Patrol, Yuma Sector, in their Facebook post.
A Reunion Full Of Emotion
Moments after the call, Gary rushed to the dock where the patrol boat was headed. As it approached, his heart raced and then he saw her.
“Seeing Stella on that boat again, it was an incredible sigh of relief. I must’ve been by an onion field because my eyes were definitely watering,” he laughed through tears.
As soon as Stella reached the shore, she ran straight into Gary’s arms. Their reunion was one of the most moving the agents had ever witnessed.
“We are glad to be a part of this happy ending!” they added in their post.