I want to preface this story with a little understory here... I just moved to Apple Valley two weeks ago...my kids are not from here...they are obviously not yet familiar with the neighborhood and the dog is stupid as shit....

I eluded to this story on another thread this morning, but didn't elloborate because I was still overwhelmed by it. I know that some of you will not find this story anything but a waste of space, but to me...I have found a level of pride I have never experienced.

This morning, while getting ready for work, my two youngest kids were playing downstairs with the dog. With soap on my face my daughter busts in to the bathroom to inform me that the dog has escaped.

I run out of the bathroom and throw only some shorts on and run out the door. Next to my house is a giant park that backs up to a school. I can barely see my youngest, Cade (7), in hot persuit about a block away. My daughter is much closer, because she is slow as shit....but anyways.... I am in a dead sprint and get fairly close to cade and the dog when I can hardly run anymore... the dog takes off between two house and Cade follows, I decide to try and cut them off behind the hpuse, but when I get there, there is no sign of either of them....so I run back to the front where my daughter is and ask where they went where she replies "I don't know"..... I start calling Cade's name but am getting no response. I have now lost my 9 year old daughter, my 7 year old son and the fucking dog....

I decide to run back to my house and get my truck.... I have now also started to make calls to the kids mom, the local police and my new job that I started 4 days ago.... I find my daughter and we start cruising the neighborhood calling for my son.... nothing... 20 minutes have now elapsed since I have seen my son... I am frantic...tears in my eyes.... I decide to drop my daughter off at the house in case Cade returns.... I am now haunted by the last words my daughter says to me as she exits the truck... " I think I heard screaching brakes"...

I decide to cross a busy local highway, Cedar Ave, but think all along... they could not have possibly crossed here..... 4 lanes of rush hour traffic...no way... I start racing up streets, calling for my son...nothing... finally I come across a local city worker and ask if he has seen my son...as we interact... I look up to see the dog running across a parking lot like2 blocks away... right behind him.... Cade.... clock now say 30 minutes of persuit.....

I hit the gas and by the time I cover this distance I am up to 90 miles an hour and slam on the brakes... relieved to see Cade...the horrified to see the dog still running...now looking to cross the busy highway again.... I jump out and tell cade to get in and I start running after the dog...he crosses traffic with me no more than 10 feet behind him screaming at the top of my lungs for him to stop...he turns and runs right in to oncoming traffic..... with all I could do.. I started waving my arms to hopefully stop traffic....I did...just to watch the dog jump in to someone's car for me.....

There is more..... but that is the meat of the story....all ended well thankfully.... the inspiration I found here though was the determination of a seven year old boy to never give up.... he ran over four miles this morning and never gave up.....

I love those kids....



Thank you for your time.....

God damn. I'm glad everyone was ok after that adventure. I can not even imagine what was going on in your mind when you couldn't find your son. I would have been crying my eyes out if I were you. . .

Thank goodness everyone is alright

I am glad that all are safe.

And best wishes in your new home and community!
[Edited 9/7/07 17:28pm]

What a horrible feeling to think that your child is lost, Im gald everything turned out ok for you

I have never wanted to bare your children more.

oh my god ken!!

while you are hugging them tight make them promise never to do that again!! :heartattack:
i bet cade was emotionally and physically spent
thank thank thank heavens they were okay
and that you didn't manage to get yourself run over too!


ok so the dog jumped into someone's vehicle??







(and damn it perhaps your daughter was further behind
because she was the one who came to tell you the dog was gone?? )

DAMN....

Imago said:

You wanna be his baby mama?

OK, after I dropkicked my kid, I'd have to praise her for her determination.

What a harrowing story! I'm glad all turned out well.

I’m so glad everything turned out ok. I have totally fallen in love with Cade, but I tell u one thing that dog would be on time out 4 the rest of this year, and the nerve 2 get in someone else's car while everyone is chasing him/her

Thank you all for your thoughts...

I had a long talk with all the kids last night and we have a better plan should this go down again... I find myself still welling up at what he did.... I have no words....

pardonme4livin said:

It is good that you discussed it with them and that you worked out something better if it happens again.

Wow!! I'm glad that everything turned out ok.....

....but its amazing how kids love to put parents through their paces....I think I'm still in recovery from some of the stunts mine pulled.....like taking off together down a long flight of stairs and walking down the street...in diapers....one was 3, the other 2....just strolling off into the sunset....luckily my dad lived across the street and was reaching them as I was closing in.....

....the conflicting feelings of wanting to scream my head off and marveling at their "thicker than thieves" connection.....or that they navigated the stairs....amazing to this day....

We have an English Setter that bolts! Luckily the kids are grown. We put a security gate on our front door as an extra barrior and keep the gates to the back yard locked.