The Night Everything Changed

Darren woke up one night at 1 AM feeling dizzy and unwell. He decided to go downstairs and make some coffee to feel better. But as he reached the bottom step, everything went black. Darren was having a massive heart attack - the kind doctors call a "widow maker" because it's often deadly.

An Unexpected Hero Emerges

The next thing Darren remembers is briefly waking up three hours later at 4 AM. His one-year-old golden retriever husky mix, Bear, was jumping on his chest. In that moment of consciousness, Bear sprang into action. The dog sprinted upstairs and started howling and jumping on Darren's wife, Janice.

The Crucial Discovery

Janice quickly noticed her husband wasn't in bed. She followed Bear downstairs to find Darren lying on the ground. She immediately called paramedics who rushed him to the hospital. There, Darren underwent triple bypass surgery which saved his life.

The Miracle of Instinct

When doctors examined Darren, they found his chest covered with paw print marks. The medical team explained something amazing - without chest compressions to keep blood flowing, Darren might not have survived more than ten minutes after his collapse.

Three Hours of Dedication

What makes this story truly remarkable is that Bear kept jumping on Darren's chest for the entire three hours before he briefly regained consciousness. This action, though Bear was never trained in CPR, kept blood flowing to Darren's vital organs. Bear's instinctive behavior likely saved his owner's life.

A Heartfelt Reunion

When Darren finally returned home from the hospital, Bear jumped into his arms immediately. Darren broke down crying as he hugged the dog who had saved his life. The family now affectionately calls Bear their "hero puppy" - a title well-earned through an extraordinary act of loyalty and love.