Some heroes do not wear capes, but T-shirts, sweatpants, and boots… like Chris MacRitchie, a Vermont man who recently risked his life to save a drowning dog.
Chris was enjoying a regular day out with his son. The two were in a drive-thru, midway through an order when Chris’ son noticed something rather shocking!
There was a dog struggling to stay afloat in the rushing, freezing waters of the Winooski River. From what it looked like, the dog couldn’t have been more exhausted and seemed to have made peace with its fate.
But, Chris didn’t and immediately rushed into action without thinking.
A Selfless Act That Took The Internet By Storm

Chris and his son spotted the dog near the opposite shore, struggling to stay afloat in the rushing river. To make matters worse, the freezing temperature was definitely not on their side.
Chris initially spent a couple of minutes calling out to the pup, hoping it would somehow paddle all the way to him.

When that didn’t happen, he tried a different approach – the heroic one!
The man gasped as he jumped into the freezing water, slowly approaching the dog. The only problem was – he wasn’t sure how deep the river was.
“I knew I was gonna end up in the water one way or the other. So I did. But as I said, the only real stress that I had was the depth of the water,” Chris told People Magazine.
Fortunately, it was only waist-deep and Chris successfully reached the canine who immediately gave in. He grabbed her by the collar and pulled her out, both ending this ordeal in relief.

The video recorded by Chris’ son went viral immediately, melting hearts nationwide.
Chris, who is a father and owner of two dogs, was more than grateful for being able to help. Hoping that someone would do the same for his dogs, Chris assumed the dog’s owners were sick with worry – and he wasn’t wrong!
Upon finding the number on the dog’s name tag, Chris immediately contacted the owner, Morgan Cerasoli.
During the conversation, Cerasoli revealed that the dog’s name was Arizona and that she had been looking everywhere for her. Never in her wildest dreams could Morgan imagine that her beloved pet would end up fighting for her life.
“The BIGGEST gratitude goes to the amazing man who jumped in the river to save her from drowning,” Morgan wrote in a Facebook post.
Arizona Reunited With Her Owner

Arizona is now safe and sound with Morgan, all thanks to Chris’ noble act. To Morgan and the entire community, he’s not only her dog’s savior but also a true hero who embodies all the values humanity stands for.
“This man will forever be my Hero! Never told a stranger I love him so many times before. To some this may just be a man rescuing a dog, but to me, it’s a man rescuing an extension of my soul,” Morgan added in another post.
According to her owner, Arizona is already feeling so much better. Hopefully, this will be the last of her ordeals. Fingers crossed!