Their story started ten years ago when Derik Hodgson thought he saw a baby bear on the side of the road in his remote location in the woods.
He went to investigate to make sure that the cub was okay. That’s when he discovered that the ball of fur was actually an abandoned puppy, left to fend for himself, and most likely die out in the wilderness alone.
Derik immediately adopted the puppy and named him Badger. He brought Badger to live in his cabin nearby. The two have been inseparable friends ever since.
However, that is not where their story ends. In fact, it was only just the beginning.
A chance to return the favor
Derik’s interest in wildlife didn’t end with checking to see if a bear cub was lost by the road. Ten years later, he and Badger were spending their time hanging out together at the cabin when Derik noticed eagles circling in the sky nearby.
Wanting to get a few pictures of them before they had a chance to fly away, Derik quickly hurried outside with a camera. However, in his rush, he left both his jacket and phone behind. That would end up being a near-fatal mistake.
Together, as they almost always were, Derik and Badger approached the icy lake so that the avid photographer could get a good shot of the eagles. As they walked out onto the ice, Derik slipped and fell directly onto the ice with a huge thud.
He was in shock and in pain. Every time he tried to move, the pain just intensified. He couldn’t stand up no matter how much he tried. It would turn out that he had broken his leg in two places in addition to rupturing a tendon.
He was trapped on the frozen ice, and the situation was getting more serious by the minute.
Quick thinking and a good friend
At first, Derik called for help, knowing that he was unlikely to be heard by anyone. He wasn’t near any homes and had traveled through the forest to reach the icy lake.
That’s when he remembered that the dog he had once rescued in the same forest as a puppy was there with him now. He grabbed onto Badger’s collar and, using a dog sledding term, told him to “mush.” Badger obeyed and began to walk towards the house, pulling and dragging Derik behind him as the man clung to the dog’s collar.
It took a while, but they made it back to the cabin.
From there, Derik was finally able to drag himself to his phone and call an ambulance. Soon, thanks to his canine hero, he was on his way to the hospital to have his injuries treated.
He would be back at the cabin recovering and spending time with Badger soon enough.
Recognizing a real hero
Their story was so compelling and genuine that Badger was inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, which is no small honor. In fact, he was one of only three dogs from Canada to earn the status that year.
We have to agree that he deserved to be recognized for his heroism. Not only is he a good boy, but he’s also a very good friend.
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