A chance sighting through a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru window led to an extraordinary water rescue in Berlin, Vermont. A family’s routine coffee run turned into a life-saving mission when they spotted a dog fighting for survival in the ice-covered waters of a local river.
Without a second thought, Chris MacRitchie left the warmth of his car and ventured into the bone-chilling stream. His son Ace captured the heart-pounding moments on video, which has since captivated viewers across social media platforms.
“You reach these crossroads where you must choose – step in or stand back,” MacRitchie reflected. “As a dog owner myself, I knew I had to act. I’d want someone to do the same for my pets.”
The footage shows MacRitchie, clad only in casual wear, carefully navigating the treacherous riverbank. His wife Erica’s voice can be heard urging the struggling canine to safety as her husband waded roughly 20 feet through the frozen tributary of the Winooski River.
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“The water’s depth was my main concern, not its temperature,” MacRitchie explained. “Once I realized it was only waist-deep, I knew I could manage the situation, despite the cold.”
The rescued pup, named Arizona, turned out to be a seven-year-old mixed breed with quite a backstory – originally found abandoned on a South Carolina roadside. Owner Morgan Cerasoli had been searching frantically since the previous day when MacRitchie’s call brought tears of joy.
“I just kept repeating ‘I love you’ over and over,” Cerasoli recounted, sitting beside her recovered companion. Though Arizona has largely bounced back, a subsequent vet visit revealed an underlying Lyme disease diagnosis.
Watching the rescue footage later, Cerasoli was moved both by MacRitchie’s courage and her pet’s visible distress. “This kind of selfless bravery represents the best of humanity,” she remarked. “It’s a rare and precious thing to witness these days.”
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