Veteran suffers massive heart attack — wakes up to find his puppy saving his life: “Puppy CPR”

It’s always good to have a dog around the house — they are such protective and caring animals, and have been known to save lives in emergency situations.

That was the story for one Canadian veteran, who nearly died of a heart attack — but miraculously, his pet puppy saved his life.

Darren Cropper, a retired Canadian Armed Forces veteran from Bonfield, Ontario, is the owner of a three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear, to whom he owes his life.

Back in August 2022, Cropper woke up early and headed downstairs to watch some TV, when suddenly everything went black: he collapsed on the floor, unconscious, suffering a massive heart attack.

“I wasn’t in any pain, but everything felt fuzzy,” Cropper told CTV News. “I was coming downstairs … When I hit the bottom step, that’s all I could remember.”

It would’ve killed him — if not for the unexpected actions of his loyal dog. Bear, then a 1-year-old puppy, climbed on to his chest and began jumping up and down, effectively giving the man CPR. Bear kept at it for hours, leaping up and down so hard that it left paw prints embedded on Cropper’s chest, per the National Post.

Cropper’s wife Janice heard Bear howling from downstairs and discovered her husband unconscious on the floor. She called 911 and he was soon rushed to the hospital. Cropper woke up to the sight of his dog pounding on his chest.

Cropper underwent emergency triple bypass surgery. He learned that had suffered a “widowmaker” heart attack in which arteries from his right lung to his heart had shut down, and it was only the actions of his puppy that saved his life.

“If Bear hadn’t jumped on my chest, I wouldn’t be alive,” Cropper told the National Post. “Basically, he did Puppy CPR and got my blood flowing. No one taught him that, but both his parents were service dogs. I guess it’s in him, his instinct.”

The vet was extremely grateful for his hero dog, who was also there for him when he returned home and through a lengthy recovery. “When I first saw him when I got home, he came right to me and jumped in my arms and I just broke down crying,” Cropper told CTV News.

Two years after that terrifying incident, Bear’s life-saving heroics have never been forgotten, and recently he received a major honor: he was a 2024 inductee to the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, which honors animals who demonstrated outstanding acts of courage and heroism.

We are thrilled to share 2024's inductees Maggie May and Bear for the prestigious Purina #AnimalHallofFame program, marking a total of 194 inductees since 1968! 🏆🐶Prepared to be moved by their incredible stories: https://t.co/6bfBv0Ssw5 #pets #dogs #PurinaCanada pic.twitter.com/7TOets03e6

— Purina Canada (@PurinaCanada) September 16, 2024