Paying it forward pays off

I want to share a huge thank you and express my gratitude to Jerome Jones and his family from Wasilla for rescuing my beloved 11-year-old English springer spaniel, Buddy, late Saturday night when they found him running down the middle of the Parks Highway lost and scared, wet and cold.

He has never been out on a highway and was several miles from home. I had just gotten him back from Eagle River where he was servicing a female springer. I had gone to Anchorage for Thanksgiving (and the day after). My son let him outside early Saturday evening and he just disappeared. I now believe he was heading for Eagle River to find his girl, since he’s never done anything like this before.

Mr. Jones and his wife, Tamara, saw him running down the highway and picked him up and took him to their home and called my veterinarian and left a message. My vet called me first thing in the morning and I cannot begin to express the relief and thankfulness I felt when I learned that my dog was safe and sound.

I told Mr. Jones that he had no idea how grateful I was and he replied, “Oh yes I do, because the same thing happened to my St. Bernard and a nice lady picked him up and got him back to us.”

He was just paying it forward.

The lesson I learned from this traumatic experience was to first, have faith and if and when I have the opportunity, to pay it forward just as the Joneses of Wasilla did for me. I am so very thankful to know there are still honest, decent people in this world and I will be forever grateful that the Jones’ are part of my community. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

Kay Fyfe

Houston