Nine years ago Joni Evans saved a newborn puppy that had been tossed out in the woods. Somehow it and several of its siblings survived for about 36 hours on their own, so Joni named the dog Gunnar Grip in memory of her grandfather who after being injured in a timber falling accident had survived 36 hours before dying.
Last Saturday night Joni knew the power was going to be off so she lit a few candles because she hates the dark and she planned on staying awake but nodded off. She usually puts Gunnar outside but had decided to leave him in for the night.
She woke to Gunnar barking, she told him to stop, then 104-pound Gunnar jumped on top of her. As she opened her eyes she could see light and thought to herself that the power had come back on, it had not, Joni’s house was on fire, it was a bout 1 a.m.
She grabbed a few things and Gunnar and sat in her car as she called 9-1-1, her house was a total loss.
Joni and Gunnar are being helped by the Red Cross and she is overwhelmed with all the generosity that people have extended to her at this very difficult time, but mostly she is thankful for that dog she saved nine years ago, the dog that paid her back by more than likely saving her life.
A fund has been set up for Joni at First Federal or http://www.gofundme.com/JoniEvansFireFund.
