07/14/2026
Justin is my neighbor! Brave, compassionate man with a heart of gold.
HERO’s!!!
These two young men saved my friend from drowning yesterday, ignoring the risks to their own lives. They are teachers at SW High School. They are Dominic McGuire and
Justin Miller.
What happened?
Note: Those of you who frequent the Doggie Social Clubs may know Kim, Deb and their dogs, Edith and Becky(sisters)
We all decided to go on an outing to the Skagit River yesterday. We usually go to a spot off Robinson Rd in Lyman where the water is shallow. Becky and Edith love to swim and retrieve balls in the water (they are Lab/Golden mixes) My smaller dogs, Lobo and Laura, just wade in the water and roll in the dirt.
We did not go to our usual spot because Kim just had foot surgery and was in a boot. We found another spot that was closer. It was calm but deeper. Down river was an active current, but we were 100 yards away. We were in a secluded spot.
It was a beautiful day and the dogs had a blast. We were getting ready to leave. The dogs always stay close to us, but we briefly lost sight and started to call them. Deb went down along the edge of water to find where they went. I saw her take off her jacket and shoulder bag and throw them in the bushes. I yelled and asked if everything was OK. She yelled “N0”! I ran down and one of the dogs, Becky, ran past me. Deb and her dog were missing and I couldn’t see them. I yelled for her and heard her cries for help. I couldn’t see where she was. I went in as far as I could, but the water was deep and strong. I ran back out to the top of the hill where I thought that she was below, but could get through the berries, they were too thick.
I ran back down to the river. Kim had called 911. We kept yelling her name. Fear and Panic had set in!
Our friend was drowning, we could not see her or get to her.
We heard a noise above us on the trail, we yelled for help. Out of nowhere, these two young men came to us, threw their bikes down and went into action. One got in the water and the other went up top and tried to get through the bushes. They both ended up in the river.
They found Deb and her dog Edith in a cove that was straight down from the top. She is a strong swimmer, but couldn’t get out of the current. She held on to Ediths collar to stay afloat. Edith was getting tired.
These guys stayed with her and Edith until rescue arrived. The fire dept and police got there quick! They were wonderful!! They had to use chainsaws and ropes to get down to them. They pulled them out with ropes.
We didn’t know how this all happened until after she was rescued. She got in trouble when she saw one of the dogs, Becky, stuck in a current. She was able to grab her collar and throw her on the bank. She then slipped and the current took her. Edith stayed with her through the ordeal.
I think that all three of them suffered from hypothermia. Deb was taken to the hospital for observation, but was released last night. She has bumps and bruises, but will be OK.
Those young men were fast and courageous. Thank God, they were there! They are also very humble. We will nominate them for a Red Cross Life Saving Award!
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