Man in River

News Story
Dog saves his owner from alligator attack

BOSTON, Mass. — Boston resident John Smith, 37, starts his morning everyday with a swim in the Charles River accompanied by his seven-year-old golden retriever, Hank. To Smith, it seemed like just an average early Wednesday morning before a day’s work at the accounting firm, until Hank jumped in the water to save his owner from an alligator attack.

“[Hank’s] my best friend and I’m never going swimming without him,” Smith said.

While Smith was free styling back to shore after his 7 a.m. swim at the Boston University Beach, Hank leaped into the river, seemingly to join Smith on his coast back to front. Instead of hanging by Smith’s side, the dog swam past Hank and commenced to attack a 15 foot alligator Smith had no knowledge of.

Smith watched from the shoreline as Hank bravely pounced on the alligator. About half a minute later, the gator slowly swam back into the river, leaving a courageous Hank with a wounded leg requiring 17 stitches.

Feature Story
A man saved by his best friend

One word the epitomizes a summer in Boston Massachusetts: hot. In order to combat the relentless pits of fire that blaze the streets and avoid the thick air, 37-year-old accountant John Smith and his best friend Hank dive into the clear waters of Charles River every morning.

July 27 seemed like any other ordinary day for Smith and Hank. They wake up, scratch all areas in need of scratching, eat a hearty breakfast and set out to the Boston University Beach at the bright hour of seven in the morning. 
 Smith always dives in first. Hank likes to watch from the shoreline.

After Smith gets his morning ritual of cool water and refreshed muscles, he starts to freestyle back to where Hank is patiently waiting for Smith.

Although Hank is no longer patiently waiting for Smith.

A bright flash of golden hair flashes before Smith’s eyes and passes him at an incredible speed. Smith turns around quickly in the water, splashing the wetness into the air and back into the river with a slight “patter” sound.
 An alligator. And not just any alligator, but a gator of epic proportions. All 15 feet of greenery appears atop the water as Hank lurches his body on to the reptile.

Smith pumps his arms as hard as he can back to shore. The burning is very present in his biceps, but he keeps on gathering the water under his arms and pushing it back with the strength of ten lions.

Smith drags his body onto the salty sand and turns his head around to the commotion back in the water. He sees flashes of gold and green as the water is splashed into the sky, sparkling and shining as it rains back down onto Hank and the alligator.

The splashing starts to subside, slowly and then all at once, as the green fades away into the pits of the water and all that is left is the golden hair matted onto Hank’s wet body.

Hank unhurriedly returns to the shoreline, pumping his legs with the power of a newborn cub. He drags his body onto the salty sand and looks up into Smith’s eyes, revealing his dark brown orbs filled with more life and color than any eyes Smith has seen before.

Hank peers down to one of his legs and pouts at the large gash clearly visible in the daylight. The large gash, the gash that needed 17 stitches, the gash that saved Smith’s ordinary life.

But, Smith’s life is not ordinary to Hank. Smith’s life is Hank’s life.

“Hank’s my best friend and I’m never going swimming without him,” Smith said.

After all, a dog is a man’s best friend.