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When Blue’s owner took him camping, the poor dog got more excitement than he signed up for. But Blue came through and saved his owner’s life, earning him national praise for being the goodest boy.

Brandon Garrett and his brother were camping in rural Oregon when Brandon went for a drive with his four dogs–including Blue. On a narrow forest road winding through the steep Wallowa Mountains, his truck slid off a corner. It tumbled down a steep ravine, landing on its right side in the river below.

Blue, Brandon Garrett, and all the other dogs survived the fall. They were even able to climb out of the truck and to safety. And Garrett was able to crawl 300 feet to dry land. But the walls of the ravine were too steep and overgrown for the injured man to climb. Night was falling and they were trapped!

Snow-capped mountain range in rural Oregon, a lake in the foreground.
Remote Wallowa mountains, Oregon | Chaney Swiney via iStockPhoto

Blue didn’t waste a moment. He was able to climb out of the ravine and back onto the forest road himself. While Garrett and the other dogs made camp, Blue raced to alert his brother. Even though Blue had to trot for four miles back to the family’s campsite, he remembered the way and made it home.

Thanks to Blue’s help, the local sheriff finally found Garrett the next morning. The ravine was too steep for even the sheriff to get down, so they called a special team to rig up a hoist. Finally, they were able to lift Garrett to safety and fly him to the hospital.

This story has a happy ending. Garrett has already been released and reunited with Blue.

Next, read about the failed drug-sniffing dog that became Taiwan’s search-and-rescue hero, or see Blue for yourself in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.