Our hearts continue to go out to the many people affected by the catastrophic Hurricane Milton this week, which has caused widespread damage, left millions without power and claimed at least 16 lives.
A Florida couple were among the casualties — but, in a miracle caught on camera, their little dog survived and was pulled from the rubble.
Spanish Lakes Country Club Village, a retirement community near Fort Pierce, Florida, was hit by Hurricane Milton and a resident couple reportedly died when their mobile home was destroyed, according to CBS News.
CBS News Miami reporter Morgan Rynor headed to the scene for a segment on Thursday, and standing amidst this retirement home reduced to rubble, she was no doubt expecting to deliver a sobering report on the storm’s devastation.
But as the cameras began rolling, the segment took an uplifting turn as someone pulled an unexpected survivor for the rubble: a little Shih Tzu dog.
The dog, named Lulu, (she is erroneously referred to as “Benji” in the news segment, after being confused with another local dog) belonged to the couple who had died in the hurricane, and miraculously survived.
“I cannot believe I am starting this right now with some happy news,” Rynor says.
Lulu had been missing since last night and was found in the debris of a neighbor’s home. Looking at the major destruction, it’s unbelievable that this little dog survived.
“The destruction… you can’t even describe it,” Rynor says, as the camera pans across a block of destroyed homes.
Lulu, 14, was taken for a vet check-up and, while Rynor said the dog appeared to be injured, she was given a clean bill of health.
Lulu’s survival was a miracle — but it was only the first part of this unbelievable story.
In an update, Rynor announced that Lulu wasn’t the only dog rescued from the rubble: her doggy sister, Shiba, was pulled out of the same pile of debris!
The two dogs lost their owners in the hurricane, but thankfully, they have now been taken in by family, the grandson of one of the victims.
The family is “heartbroken” after the death of their grandfather, but they can take some solace in the fact that his sweet dogs survived.
When disasters like this happen, positive stories like this can inspire hope. While it is heartbreaking that Lulu and Shiba’s owners were among the victims, it’s miraculous that they survived the devastation.
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READ MORE:
- U.S. Coast Guard rescues man clinging to cooler after Hurricane Milton
- Dog found tied up to pole ahead of Hurricane Milton, rescued by troopers
