MUSKEGON, Mich. — A Muskegon family is grieving and asking for the community's help after their dogs jumped off an overpass Saturday afternoon.
Jake VanDyke had been driving with his wife when they spotted two huskies walking along an overpass. He said another driver had stopped and was trying to help the dogs, and VanDyke pulled up behind them to try to contact the dogs' owners.
He said the dogs got spooked by oncoming traffic and jumped off the overpass onto Seaway Drive.
Zeus fell through the windshield of an oncoming car and was killed instantly. Athena fell on the pavement and suffered a spine injury.
When the dogs fell, VanDyke and another onlooker both jumped down. While VanDyke was injured from the fall, he said it was a "small price to pay when trying to save the life of another."
VanDyke and the other driver were able to pull Athena to the side of the road and stay with her until emergency personnel and her owners arrived.
After the incident, Rebecca Campbell, whose family owns the dogs, posted on GoFundMe in an effort to raise enough money for Athena's surgery. Unfortunately, Athena had to be put down later that day.
Now, the family is asking for donations to cover Athena's ER bills and cremation of the dogs.
"Obviously, I've lost dogs growing up, then to lose dogs like that, nobody should have to lose dogs like that," VanDyke said.
VanDyke says the Campbell family is newer to the Muskegon area and could use any kind of support.
He also said it's important to watch for dogs who may have gotten out and to try to contact their owners to potentially avoid another situation like this.
"My thing is, at least the dogs weren't alone," he said. "I was able to give comfort to Athena down there with another individual. I laid my coat across across her, and so did another."
The link to the Campbell family's GoFundMe can be found here.
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