Trent Tweddale and wife Kristina with Loki. Courtesy, Trent Tweddale
If you love your furry friends as much as I do, you understand that your dog isn’t just a pet – they’re family. As such, tragically losing a member of your family is unfathomable and heart-wrenching, and we’d do anything in our power to save our furry friends if something threatened their lives.
Trent Tweddale and his wife, Dr. Kristina Deak, have lived in Wesley Chapel, Florida with their 6-year old dog, Loki, for over a year now without any complications or fateful encounters during Loki’s morning swims in a nearby stream. But last month, Loki found himself in trouble. While digging his paws into a recently swelled riverbed that had been dried out a day prior, Loki hadn’t noticed the 13-foot alligator lurking beneath the muck, and he was suddenly pulled into the water. In a flash of courage, Tweddale, being the 32-year-old former Army staff sergeant that he is, sprang into action to save his “best boy.” Despite the knee-deep water, he managed to strike the alligator over the head and wrestle Loki away and into safety.
Unfortunately, Loki suffered a severe injury to his leg. As of now, the vet overseeing Loki has given him only a 50-50 chance that the front leg will be able to be saved. Thankfully, Loki has a loving and courageous family to see him through his recovery with a newborn baby boy added to the mix. It is easy to say you’ll be there to protect your family when it matters most, and it’s another to dive in and fight against a 13 foot alligator to save your loved one. But we don’t all have to be army veterans to be the heroes our families need, we just have to be there for them when they need us most – especially when it comes to our vulnerable pets.
See you on the trail,
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 7-6-20
