Wintertime activities are supposed to be a fun and wholesome way to spend the day. After a big snowstorm there is really nothing more fun than going sledding or building a huge snow fort. That’s what one dad decided to do with his son and his son’s good friend. Everything was going great until the fort collapsed right on top of them! This should have been the end until an unlikely hero showed up.
20. Snow Day
Is there anything more fun than a snow day? Snow days are the perfect time to head out and play in the winter wonderland. From building snowmen to sliding down sleds, there are tons of fun ways to spend a snow day!
19. Dad Time
Steve Bayer, a Nova Scotia resident, decided that he would spend the snow day with his son, Ben, and Ben’s friend, Adam Inch. The trio decided that it would be fun to build a snow fort so they set off to accomplish their task. They had no idea the scary thing that would happen next.
18. Digging
The three guys were digging around in the snow. They were creating the entrance into the fort and perfecting the sides. Then the most unexpected thing happened when they were digging deep inside of the fort…
17. Collapsed
Suddenly, the fort’s roof collapsed on top of all three of the guys. They were shocked and pinned down by ice coldness everywhere they turned. None of them could move any of their limbs – it was a scary situation.
16. Scary Situation
The snow had the men pinned down and unable to move in any direction. The weight of the snow was also making it extremely difficult for any of them to breathe. If they didn’t get out fast it would surely cost them their lives!
15. Lucky
However, the men were lucky that day because they also had one extra pal hanging out with them. Their pal happened to be the family dog, a five-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix named Zoose. So what did Zoose do to help?
14. Serious Situation
“I knew it was very serious when my arms were pinned underneath me,” Steve told Global News. “My heel was into my back,” he said, describing the situation in detail. Then he described something horrific.
13. Screams
Despite the trauma from the snow roof collapsing onto him, Steve was still concerned about the well-being of the boys. When describing the situation he said he could hear the boy’s screams echoing in his head. He knew he had to do something to save all of their lives.
12. Ben’s Story
“I didn’t know what happened,” Ben recalled. “I thought someone just jumped on me. And then I realized the weight just kept gaining and gaining, and that’s when I realized I couldn’t really move.”
11. Adam
Adam also described the moment as powerfully scary. “It was pitch black,” he said. “We heard everybody screaming and stuff, we were right beside each other, at the top of your lungs and couldn’t hear them very well.”
10. Coming To Help
The situation seemed hopeless as none of the men could move. Then, Zoose came to the rescue in the most heroic way. Zoose began to immediately dig at the snow that had collapsed on top of the men.
9. A Chance
Zoose “dug in and started to pull the back of my jacket,” Steve said, “and I knew at that point, if I could get an arm or a leg free and get my leg untwisted, I had a chance of getting out and helping the kids.”
8. Unpinned
Thanks to Zoose’s digging, Steve was able to get unpinned from the snow. He was then able to start screaming loud enough for people in the neighborhood to hear.Neighbors in the vicinity soon rushed over after they heard Steve and the boys screaming.
7. Neighborhood Help
One neighbor in particular ran out and saw Zoose’s efforts and pitched in to help. The neighbor was Peter Mansfield and he quickly rushed over with a shovel and began to help Steve and the boys get out of the impacted snow.
6. Hollers
“I heard the hollers of Steve and I just come over and started shoveling trying to get the kids out,” Peter said. He recounted how the event could have turned out much worse. The boys and Steve felt very lucky to be out and alive.
5. Hurt
Once the men were pulled out of the snow they were rushed to a hospital. Although they were lucky to be alive, they didn’t all walk out without any battle scars. You won’t believe what happened to Steve and his son.
4. Battle Scars
Steve got the worst of the group as he walked away with a broken fibula and a twisted knee. His son, Ben, had a concussion. Adam, however, was lucky enough to walk away without any serious injuries at all.
3. The Weight
“I happen to be a structural engineer and my son was trapped in it,” explained Adam’s father, Jimmie. “When I calculated it out, there was probably 1,200 pounds on top of each of them.” It is almost impossible to imagine having that much weight drop on you all at once…
2. The Big Hero
If it hadn’t been for Zoose, who knows what would have happened. The men most likely would have died from suffocation and injuries from the snow. It is amazing how one dog turned out to be such a big hero.
1. Grateful
Steve and the boys are all incredibly grateful to Zoose and the neighbors that helped them out when they needed it most. “[Zoose] was the inspiration. I can’t say it enough,” Steve said.