German shepherd helps save owner's life after he suffers a stroke

Brian Myers rescued his German shepherd Sadie last fall, and she returned the favor last month.

Myers, 59, lives in Teaneck, New Jersey, and adopted Sadie from the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge in September. The bond between them formed quickly; she warmed up to Myers almost immediately, and when they got home, Sadie jumped up and put her paws on Myers as if to hug him. "It just seemed to me that she was saying, 'Thank you for rescuing me,'" Myers told Today.

When Myers became sick with COVID-19, Sadie was there to comfort him, he said, staying right by his side. Last month, Myers thought he was on the mend, but on Jan. 16, he had a stroke in his sleep, and when he got out of bed, he collapsed on the floor. Myers told Today he had no control of his muscles and wasn't able to get up. Sadie came running and started to lick his face, and Myers had an idea.

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He grabbed her collar, and Sadie "instinctively knew to start walking backwards and pulling me," Myers said. She helped slide him across the room, where he was able to call for help. The stroke affected Myers' speech and the left side of his body, and he recently completed intensive physical therapy. He's looking ahead to the future, telling Today, "My intention is now to give Sadie the best life that I possibly can going forward."