A Las Vegas woman is coping with the loss of her pet dog, but she is comforted knowing the tragedy may have saved many other lives.
Fishing and spending time with her dogs are two of Mary Jo Davis' hobbies. Just more than two weeks ago, she was out on Panguitch Lake with Midge and Max when she saw a man kayaking.
"He paddled over to the other side of the lake and next thing I know, the kayak flipped him and he started yelling for help," said Davis.
Davis managed to pull him from the water and onto her pontoon boat.
"In the ruckus of getting him on board, my dogs were barking and carrying on, somehow I lost track of Midge," Davis said. "Don't know how she managed to go overboard, but she did."
Midge, her Maltese Yorkie mix, was missing. Davis said everyone in the area rallied around her and helped look for Midge.
"I walked up and talked to a woman standing on the shore looking out, asked her if she'd seen my dog and I said, 'I lost her when I fished the kayaker out of the lake a few minutes ago,'" said Davis. "And she said, 'oh I'm so glad you did, that was my husband, thank you so much' and she gave me the biggest hug."
The woman's husband, the kayaker Davis saved, also happens to be a Las Vegas police officer. She asked us not to reveal his identity because they are both worried he may get in trouble. Neither the kayaker nor Davis' dog were wearing a lifevest.
While Davis' heart is breaking, she is looking at the bigger picture of what happened out on the lake with that police officer.
"He's going to be out there helping someone else out and saving lives and making a difference in the world, so that's really awesome," said Davis.
