by A dog who fled the scene of a fatal car crash has been tearfully reunited with his family 19 days after he went missing.
A young Kansas woman shared video of her reuniting with her 1-year-old dog, Bentley, on a mountainside in Colorado, a few weeks after a tragic car crash killed her mother and flung Bentley out of the car.
Samantha Orr, 21, was driving with her mother, Jennifer, near Pueblo, Colorado when they lost control of their Jeep and plunged 600 feet down a mountain road on August 7, 2018.
“We were just driving along having a conversation and the next thing we knew we were going over the edge,” Samantha told KOAA News.
Jennifer was killed and Samantha was badly injured and had to be airlifted to hospital. Bentley was nowhere to be found.
After being released from hospital, Samantha began searching for Bentley. Flyers were distributed and a Facebook group, Bring Bentley Home, was set up. No one knew if he had survived the crash, but 16 days later Bentley was spotted on a mountain near the scene of the crash.
“This guy [Bentley] has been what can only be compared to a mountain goat for the past 19 days,” said Samantha. “After the fatal accident where I lost my mom, Bentley was last seen running down hill from the accident. For the past 3 days he has been spotted far far above the accident site, laying amongst the rocks along the ridge of the mountain. Peering down at the Jeep wreckage, patiently waiting for his family to return.”
Samantha made the difficult hour-long hike with some locals to reach Bentley, who was scared and confused after three weeks alone in the wilderness.
Samantha took her time trying to reassure the traumatized Bentley. But with plenty of patience and soothing words, Samantha was able to coax Bentley too her, until they were finally reunited.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34SAT463u3I
“My heart is BURSTING” Samantha wrote minutes after their tearful reunion on Facebook. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who shared, liked, handed out flyers, spread the word, or sent kind words, or any of the millions of ways people have shown their kindness since the accident. The world has so many amazing people in it, I am SO unbelievably grateful.”
She later shared that Bentley is in good spirits and good health and that hit has been “nothing but tears and celebration” since finding him. “Bentley is okay, he’s a little malnourished and dehydrated. But otherwise no noticeable injuries. Thank you to everyone who played a role in bringing this sweet boy home. I know the past 19 days, God and my beautiful momma have been keeping an eye on him.”
