'Everybody Was Crying': Puppy Reunited After Being Lost In Crash
JORDAN, MINN. (WCCO) -- Spending quality playtime with their new puppy, Yami, Tasha Buesgens and Kody Storlie are well aware it was nearly not to be.
"We were just cruising along, talking and having fun. The puppy was sleeping on his lap and all of a sudden I heard this squealing coming from behind us," Tasha said.
The couple was on their way back from southeastern Wisconsin Saturday where they had driven to pick up a new 8-week-old puppy. They were on the return trip around 5 p.m. on Interstate 90/94 near Portage, Wisconsin when tragedy struck.
An erratic driver caused an accident that forced Tasha and Kody's Toyota FJ Cruiser rolling into the ditch, coming to rest against a tree.
"The next thing I knew I remember the car stopped. He unclipped my seatbelt and I fell on top of him and I asked, where's Yami?" Tasha said.
Their new puppy was nowhere to be found. The injured couple was rushed to the hospital for broken ribs, cuts and bruises. Meantime, first responders remained out at the accident scene to search for the missing dog.
It was nearly five hours later, deep into the Saturday evening darkness when one Wisconsin State Trooper wasn't about to give up his search for the little black dog.
"The fire department got its infrared drone set up and right away when they got in the air they got a heat signature," Tasha said.
Just before midnight, Tasha's dad, Bill, got a call at the hospital from a very excited state trooper.
"I said, you found the dog? I said to him, 'you just made one girl the happiest girl in the world,'" Bill said.
A short time later, the trooper came walking into the hospital room where the floodgates of pure happiness opened up.
"Nurses, doctors, everybody was crying," Tasha Buesgens said.
Tasha and Kody say those first responders went above and beyond the call of duty. Not only to render aid, but restoring a young couple's joy.
