Jacob “Jake” Schmitt was exploring Utah’s Uinta Mountains with his dog Buddy earlier this month when his side-by-side vehicle lost control and tumbled 15 to 20 times down the mountainside. Schmitt was thrown from the vehicle during the crash and suffered a broken leg, fractured ankles, broken ribs, and numerous scrapes and bruises. With no phone and only Buddy’s collar light to guide him, he splinted his leg using parts from the vehicle and crawled for over 11 hours through the night.
By sunrise, Schmitt reached his truck and drove himself to the Oakley Diner, where he asked a staff member to call 911. He was taken to Park City Hospital for treatment, and his dog and vehicle were cared for by the Oakley Fire Department until the family could arrive. When Schmitt and Buddy reunited in the hospital, it was an emotional and powerful moment.
He credits Buddy with helping him survive, explaining how his pup stayed by his side and guided him. Schmitt shares that while the pain was severe and giving up crossed his mind, he kept moving, thinking “either I die here, or I figure out how to keep going.”
Source: PEOPLE