Thunder Dog

By |Published On: September 11, 2018|Categories: News|

Seventeen years ago, two airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, and life has never been the same. In the years since, we’ve heard thrilling stories of the courage and bravery of people who were at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and also on UA Flight 93. But recently I was introduced to the story of Michael Hingson and his service dog Roselle. Michael worked on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center. When the first airplane crashed and the building shook, Michael was especially startled – he’s been blind since birth and could only rely on reports from his panicked co-workers. That’s not to say that Michael sat passively by. No, not this man. I mean, this is the same guy who, as a kid, rode a bicycle throughout his city even though he couldn’t see!

So there in the burning Tower, Michael trusted Roselle, even though she was a relatively new guide dog. But that loyal retriever, along with a co-worker, helped Michael descend all 77 flights of stairs amidst the smoke, heat and chaos that reigned that day. Their story is a beautiful one of love and trust, and you can read all about it in Michael’s book Thunder Dog. Today, as we remember those who lost their lives on 9/11, let glimpses of God’s goodness—the loyalty of a guide dog, the mutual encouragement of co-workers down an endless stairwell—remind us that even in the “splash-overs of hell” we experience in this world, God is still present with us.

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