GATES COUNTY, N.C. — This week’s News 3 Everyday Hero brings us to Gates County, North Carolina, where a local mail carrier’s quick actions saved a beloved family dog named Buddy.
Matt Campbell's 10-year-old pup, Buddy, has a wandering spirit.
"He comes and goes. He's mostly inside, but he likes to go outside and get some fresh air and play," Campbell said.
Recently, while Campbell and his wife went to the store, Buddy was playing outside. When they returned and pulled in the driveway, Campbell's wife noticed that Buddy was “soaking wet.”
They were trying to figure out what happened when a few minutes later, their mail carrier, Diane Boone, pulled up to the house.
She said she was delivering the family’s mail along with a larger package. Normally, she would just leave it in the mailbox or on the front steps, but she didn’t want the package to get wet as the forecast called for rain.
When she walked behind the house towards the covered porch, she heard Buddy making a desperate sound. The yelp sounded as though it was coming from the pool.
"When I [got to] the back porch, I looked around and saw him in the water, and he looked like he couldn't get out," Boone recalled. "I went to try to get help, but [the Campbells] weren't there, so I had to pull him out."
Campbell said Buddy loves to walk on the edge of the pool, and if he falls in — which happens from time-to-time because he’s getting older — he usually swims to the steps. However, Campbell noted, “the steps aren’t set up because the pool’s not open for summer yet.”
"I was not going to leave him in there," Boone said. "He reminded me of a child. His eyes, his eyes were just really getting to me because the way he was looking at me, he wanted help. He really did want help."
Selflessly, Boone grabbed Buddy from the pool, saving his life. She reflected on the fact that if she weren’t leaving a package behind the home, it could have been a different outcome.
"She was just in the right place at the right time," Campbell stated. "I thank the Lord we have an angel in Ms. Diane Boone."
"I’m not an angel, but He was there that day. It's the grace of God," Boone humbly responded.
For her heroic actions, she has been recognized as this week’s Everyday Hero, receiving a surprise $300 Visa gift card from our community partner Southern Bank.
"Thank you so much. I did not do this just for recognition. I did it because it's the right thing to do," Boone said.
Campbell nominated Boone saying, "She went above and beyond the call of duty. Not everyone is going to do that. She's amazing, she's our hero and we love her.”
Even beyond saving Buddy, Boone showcased her public servant mentality, stating, "Even if I don't use it myself, it will help me help someone else."
