BREWSTER, NY – A blind woman and her dog Figo were walking home Monday morning when the dog spotted a mini school bus heading their way.
The golden retriever’s protective instincts kicked in to save his owner, 62-year-old Audrey stone. Figo threw himself at the closest part of the vehicle, putting himself between Stone and the bus.
Stone still suffered a fractured right elbow, three broken ribs, a fractured ankle and a cut to her head. Figo injured his front right leg, witnesses say it was cut down to the bone.
Police say the bus wasn’t traveling fast, but the dog, “took a lot of the blow.”
The driver of the school bus, carrying two kindergarteners, told police he didn’t see the pair crossing the road. An investigation is underway, and the driver was taken for a routine drug test.
Witness, Paul Schwartz, said the dog appeared to only be concerned about Stone. “There were 15 EMTs and people all around her and the dog didn’t want to leave her side,” Schwartz said. “He was flopping over to her and she didn’t want him to get away from her, either. She kept screaming, ‘Where’s Bigo? Where’s Bigo? Where’s Bigo?’ We kept telling her he was fine.”
Editor’s note: Witnesses incorrectly heard the dog’s name as Bigo.
Stone remains in the hospital on Tuesday, and veterinary staff confirm Figo has come out of surgery and is on the mend.
