Dog miraculously survives 200-foot fall while hiking with her owner


What should have been a tragic moment became an incredible one for an Oregon woman and her dog on Sunday.
Michelle Simmons was hiking with friends and family, as well as her one-year-old Labradoodle Gracie in the Columbia River Gorge, when suddenly the pup plummeted off the side of a nearby cliff, tumbling 200 feet down.
"We kept hearing her rolling and rolling and heard her hit on the ground, and she yelped out and we didn't hear anything after that," Simmons told KPTV FOX 12. "We thought we lost her."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
After notifying authorities of what had happened, the group tearfully began to leave, when another hiker caught up to them, shouting, "She's alive! She's alive!"
Sure enough, a 10-person rescue team lowered down the cliff found Gracie perched on a ledge, bruised and scratched, but otherwise fine.
"She was barking, wagging her tail," Simmons said. "It was a miracle."
Watch KPTV's full newscast on the incredible story, below. --Sarah Eberspacher
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs
-
'The program long ago ceased to be temporary help'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Denmark to grill US envoy on Greenland spying report
speed read The Trump administration ramped up spying on Greenland, says reporting by The Wall Street Journal
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read