Bad things happen.
But when they do, heroes are born!
Heroes come in countless forms. They don’t even need to be human!
In an epoch filled with skepticism towards the role of police, officer Travis Ruggles of the San Rafael Police Department in California has proven himself a good cop.
Tragedy lays the fertile seeds for eventual triumph.
Then, desperation turns to jubilation.
It all happened on a Thursday, not so long ago… a boat caught fire on a marina.
When local police went to diffuse the situation, they noticed that a dog had been tragically trapped on board.
Things are heating up.
Fortunately, Officer Travis Ruggles was there on the scene.
In an interview with The Dodo, Ruggles explains,
“When we got there the boat was pretty much engulfed, and there were people standing on the dock yelling that there was a dog on board.”
That’s heartbreaking!
“At first I couldn’t see it, but then I caught a glimpse of this dog kind of hunkered in the corner up on the deck … basically trying to get away from the flames that were coming up on him.”
A canine catastrophe.
The flames continued to proliferate. Travis hopped on a boat and set out to save the trapped pooch.
Officer Ruggles had one goal. But this wasn’t a typical rescue. This isn’t your typical cat stuck in a tree.
To rescue the dog, he’d need something special: trust.
“When I first got there, I reached out for the dog and he started barking and growling. So I tried to talk to him in a soft voice, and see if that would help.”
Needless to say, things were tense amid the flames at San Rafael Yacht Harbor. The dog wouldn’t budge!
But Officer Ruggles knew exactly what to do.
“He was very wide-eyed and his ears were up, so you could see how scared he was. I reached up and started petting the backside near the tail. I could just see the eyes start to droop down, and the ears start to fall, so I took that opportunity to pull him into the boat.”
Wow, that takes tremendous bravery!
“I was not going to see that dog die.”
Well, when there’s a will, there’s always a way!
He’s a man of his word, and he gets the job done.
Ruggles was met with bombastic cheers upon returning dockside.
They’re more than well-deserved!
The officer looked back to see a boat engulfed in flames, including the end of the boat that the dog had just escaped.
Turn’s out, the dog’s name is Tiger.
Since the incident, he’s been reunited with his proper human companion.
You read that correctly. He is a dog… named Tiger!
As for Travis Ruggles – well, he’s garnered tons of praise in his community and across the web. He even got a nice day off.
Remember, real heroes don’t fly around in capes and tights!
Leave that to Superman!
Sure, bad things do happen.
However, tragedy sparks an opportunity for heroism. Real heroes are everyday people with a giant dose of bravery!
Unfortunately, Harry Potter and Batman don’t exist in this world, but people like Travis Ruggles do!
When faced with certain tragedy – life and death – officer Travis Ruggles of the San Rafael Police Department in California stepped up.
And he saved the day!
What do you think of this tragedy turned triumph? I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!
Before you go, check out footage of the incident in the video player below! But watch out – it’s heartstopping!
There’s no stopping love!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
