What started as a playful winter day nearly turned tragic for Hazel, a black Labrador enjoying the snow near her home in Georgetown Charter Township, Michigan. While exploring, the curious pup wandered onto a frozen lake — and in seconds, the ice gave way beneath her.
Hazel plunged into the frigid water, struggling to keep her head above the surface as the cold quickly drained her strength. A nearby neighbor spotted the dog’s terrified face peeking through the ice and immediately called 911.
Georgetown Township firefighter and trained diver Jeremy Vandenheuvel was among the first to arrive. As soon as he reached the shoreline, his eyes met Hazel’s — a moment he says he’ll never forget.
“When I approached her in the water, the look in her eyes said everything,” Vandenheuvel told Wood TV. “It was, ‘I need to get out of here, and you’re my only hope.’ Those moments are incredibly humbling, whether it’s a human or an animal.”
Without hesitation, Vandenheuvel suited up and carefully made his way across the icy lake. Reaching Hazel, he wrapped her securely in his arms while fellow firefighters on shore used a rope to pull them both back to safety.
Once on land, Hazel was visibly exhausted, ice clinging to her face and nose as she slowly began to recover.
“The dog was extremely fatigued and had ice forming on her face,” Georgetown Township Fire Department Chief Matt DeWitt shared in a Facebook post.
Before long, Hazel was reunited with her family, finally warm, safe and surrounded by familiar faces.
A few days later, Hazel and her owner made a special trip back to Fire Station 3 — this time under much happier circumstances.
“Hazel stopped by for a surprise visit to thank the crew,” Georgetown Charter Township wrote. “We’re happy to report that everyone has fully recovered and is doing great.”
Thanks to a quick-thinking neighbor and a fearless firefighter, Hazel’s snowy adventure ended with a second chance — and a lot of tail wags.
