We've all heard stories about dogs rescuing people, but I was blown away by the heroic deeds of this incredibly brave canine.

I hadn't known Agnes for very long. We met at work and got into a regular routine of having lunch once a week at a local diner. About half way through dessert, I told her I was thinking of getting a dog and when I asked her opinion, she broke into tears.

"Agnes, what's wrong?"

I sat still without another word, letting her compose herself when she took a deep breath and said, "My Cinnamon was a big Irish setter. Bill and I got her when she was just a few months old. My oldest daughter, Susan, was fourteen and had epilepsy."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Agnes. Did she have a lot of spells?"

"She hadn't had any seizures since she started taking medication. But it still worried me when she was away from home. About two years after we got Cinnamon, I gave birth to Michael. One month later, Susan, at sixteen, started smoking."

"Oh no," I said, thinking that was her painful memory.

"Susan and I argued over it and she told me she had quit."

"But she didn't?"

"Michael was six months old when I put him in his car seat to pick Susan up from work. Cinnamon always went with me when I went to get her. I drove a mustang convertible back then. The first thing Susan always did when I picked her up was to take Michael out of the car seat and hold him in her lap. I told her I needed to run into the grocery store real quick and . . ." She began to cry again.

"What in the world happened, Agnes? My goodness, it must've been really bad!"

"I parked close to the store," she said, wiping tears from her face. "It was busy and I was in there longer than expected. When I came out, I heard a loud thumping sound and saw smoke coming from the windows of my car! I dropped the bag I was carrying and shot out into the parking lot."

She leaned on the table towards me and I'll never forget the look on her face when she said, "A car hit me, sending me about six feet where I hit the pavement!"

"Oh my GOD," I whispered, looking around the small diner. The only sound in the whole place was the sound of Agnes' voice as she continued.

"As I lay sprawled on the pavement, I cried out to God, 'Jesus, please, DO something!' Then I heard a loud crack and saw Cinnamon break through the back window screen!"

Gasps echoed around the diner as people began to gather around our booth to hear the rest of the story.

"When I tried to run," Agnes said, "my legs buckled and I fell to my knees, screaming

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Memoirs: True dog hero stories?
We want to hear your view. Write now!