On New Year’s Day 2024, Alexa Fery and her fiancé Cody set out on what they hoped would be an ordinary hike at Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon. Along for the adventure was their three-year-old golden retriever, Leo. But they never could have anticipated the terrifying ordeal that would unfold, one that would almost cost Leo his life.
As they hiked, Leo ran ahead of them, as golden retrievers are known to do, full of energy and curiosity. But suddenly, the playful dog vanished. Panic set in as Alexa and Cody looked over the edge of a cliff, peering down into the abyss. Below them was a sheer 300-foot drop to a narrow strip of beach, and there, lying injured and motionless, was Leo. The Pacific Ocean’s waves crashed relentlessly against the rocks, moving closer to Leo’s injured form with each passing moment.
Frantic, they called for help, and within moments, three fire departments rushed to the scene. Their plan was to rappel down the cliff face, but the steep drop and the rapidly approaching nightfall made it far too dangerous. Time was running out, and Leo’s situation was dire.
It was then that the Coast Guard arrived, bringing with it the hope they so desperately needed. A helicopter from Air Station Astoria thundered across the sky, its blades cutting through the air as it approached the crash site. The helicopter hovered above, and a rescue swimmer was lowered into the turbulent waters below, descending toward the rocks. He waded cautiously toward the injured dog, unsure of how Leo would react. Would he panic? Would he bite in fear?
To the rescuers’ surprise, Leo remained still, despite the immense pain he was likely in. His golden fur matted with blood, he allowed the stranger to approach. The swimmer gently lifted Leo and placed him in a hoisting basket, his hands steady as he prepared to pull the dog to safety.
Together, man and dog rose into the helicopter, lifting off from the rocks below. The helicopter whisked them away to safety, and they landed in a parking lot where Leo’s family anxiously awaited. When the rescue swimmer carried Leo to them, Alexa rushed to wrap him in a blanket, cradling him in her arms. She didn’t just hold her beloved dog—she also embraced the rescuer, overcome with emotion and gratitude.
“Hugs all around,” one of the pilots remarked over the radio. “Love it.”
Leo had survived a 300-foot fall, a collapsed lung, a broken jaw, and the encroaching tide. He had defied all the odds. Three days later, he was safely home, finally out of danger and back with the family that had fought so hard to keep him.