Minn. Woman, Emma Iverson, 79, Protected By Dog For 20 Hours After Fall

WILLMAR, Minn. -- A Minnesota woman credits her survival of a 20-hour ordeal after a tumble outside to her faithful dog and a punctual mail carrier.

Seventy-nine-year-old Emma Iverson says she fell and couldn't get up outside her country home near Granite Falls in late September. Nobody heard her calls for help. After night fell, her dog, Crackers, repeatedly chased away the raccoons and coyotes that came around.

Eventually she fell asleep or lost consciousness. Postal carrier Stan Boushek arrived on schedule at 12:45 p.m. the next day and was just able to spot her from the end of her driveway. She spent nine days in a hospital but made a full recovery.

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Comments

[bluegnu63]

08:48 PM on 12/05/2011

ALWAYS wear a cell phone, using a belt clip/other. You never know when you'll need to dial 911.

[opiniongirl18]

09:37 AM on 11/27/2011

THANK YOU somuch for the great golden hearts of people who fanned me when i asked to help with a bad number == thank you somuch i wish you all the best and all your dreams come tru for you and your loved ones thank you give me hope that is good people in this world and when i am saying thank tears are roling down my face with a sincere thank you from the bottom of my heart love you all GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES THANK A MILION === YOU FRIEND VANESSA LOVE YOU ALL WITH MY HEART

[propackage]

01:15 PM on 11/25/2011

when you see someone abusing a dog, stop what you are doing and step on that persons face

[opiniongirl18]

09:32 AM on 11/27/2011

I WOULD CALL THE POLICE AND HAVE HIM OR HER ARESTED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY AND ABUSETHEN WHEN I WAS WATING FOR THE POLICE I WOULD PICK A ROCK OR SOMETHING AND I WOULD PUT THEM TO SLEEP UNTIL THE POLICE ARIVED

[European1919]

03:50 AM on 11/24/2011

Dogs rock!

[Kim0330]

11:21 AM on 11/23/2011

Wow, what a brave dog. This woman is very lucky to have them.

[goldlions]

11:07 AM on 11/23/2011

Some dogs are just fantastic.

[linbee50]

09:49 AM on 11/23/2011

The dog standing vigil in China is sad. This is a country where dog meat is relished. If the dog is not taken in, he will find his way to be slaughtered for a meal.
Sad, but this is not a country that generally believes a dog is 'Man's Best Friend."

[IsobelDeBrujah]

11:34 PM on 11/24/2011

Wow, stereotype much? In fact China has a long history of loving fogs as pets. Hachiko got a statue and a movie and another movie and Saihu, had what amounts to a state funeral. All of the information regarding the yellow dog makes it clear that it is being viewed in exactly the same way that Westerners would view the same situation.

[propackage]

01:17 PM on 11/25/2011

they don't treat people much better. The world says americans are only after the money. Wait, the chinese will teach the world a leason

[308Win]

06:11 AM on 11/23/2011

Isn't "Crackers" a racial slur?

[mgresist]

09:28 AM on 11/23/2011

Not necessarily. I think they're food.

[momoluvsu]

09:11 PM on 11/23/2011

It means crazy in the UK

[ishaan jassat]

03:26 AM on 11/23/2011

lets work 2gether 2 stop animal abuse 2day

[GOODDOC1]

01:11 AM on 11/23/2011

I witnessed a similar situation almost 30 years ago. An elderly man had had a stroke, and was lying on his living room floor, and his beloved GSD was guarding him and licking his face. She was so protective we couldn't get near the man to help. Our Fire Captain sent the rookie FF in the back door through the kitchen to distract the dog, and we came in the front and closed the door between the 2 rooms so we could take care of the patient. (The FF sprayed the fire extinguisher to get the dog to let him out safely.) Both the man and the dog did well, and he brought her to the station some months later. It was great seeing them both together, although the FF swore she kept growling at him. He said that the kept him going was the thought that his dog could die if he did. Pets give un unconditional love, and enrich -- and can save -- our lives in so many ways. Rescue a pet, they'll love you forever!

[Kim0330]

11:22 AM on 11/23/2011

Thank you for your wonderful story!

[barbie2boo]

01:06 AM on 11/23/2011

Such a sweet story :)

[mlaiuppa]

01:00 AM on 11/23/2011

Good dog.

[Miataboy]

12:36 AM on 11/23/2011

I hope I can be as good a person as my dog thinks I am.

[tccat4]

12:26 AM on 11/23/2011

Thank God were having a warm fall and so far staying that way. So glad the pup and master made it thru this. Buy that pup a great big steak !!!!

[fordgarye]

12:22 AM on 11/23/2011

I have always heard the phrase "money can't buy happiness" but I might suggest trying this - pay the fees (buy) at an animal rescue center, take the animal home, treat it well......and you might learn that there is an exception to that old phrase...the happiness of companionship, loyalty and an animal that will love you. All my dogs have been rescues - I always tell people "get a used dog, they're cool." (Or a cat if that suits you better).

[maymay2]

05:37 AM on 11/23/2011

We too would only get dogs and cats from the shelters or on the streets, we call them the "recycled friends".
We have 2 dogs, 1 house cat and 1 strayed cat, and they are our closest family members.