Last Tuesday, 17, the visually impaired 61-year-old Cecil Williams was waiting for the subway at a New York station in the United States with his guide dog, a labrador named Orlando. According to the Associated Press, Williams revealed from the hospital that he does not know exactly why he was ill, but was on his way to the dentist when it all happened.

Realizing that Williams was not well, witnesses say that the dog stood beside the man to prevent him from falling on track. Unfortunately, there was no way to prevent the fall and the dog jumped along with its owner in an attempt to bring it back to the platform.

"The dog was trying to get [Williams] off the platform, but his feet were on the edge, he was agitated and the dog was barking, " Ana Quinones, one of the witnesses, told the New York Post. Matthew Martin, another passenger who was present at the time of the accident, said that “he fell and the dog jumped after. He was not pulled. The dog was licking him, trying to make him move, ”he said.

An almost accident

Orlando was under police care shortly after the accident. Image Source: Reproduction / New York Post

Those following the scene saw the train approaching about a minute after Williams and Orlando had crashed onto the tracks. People were shouting, trying to get the attention of the station staff. One of the workers directed Williams to stay in the center of the tracks, where he was deeper.

This is when the story gets even more tense.

Williams and Orlando positioned themselves in the middle of the tracks and then the train started to brake instantly. Two wagons passed over the man and the dog before the train was completely stopped. The good news is that aside from a few scratches and abrasions, Williams survived and nothing happened to the dog.

“He was definitely man's best friend. When the train was coming, the dog did not move. The dog was loyal to its owner. He tried to save him. ... He risked his own life to save his owner, ”Ana Quinones shared.

For a happy ending

Image Source: Playback / Yahoo! News

Unfortunately, Orlando is about to retire from his noble job, which means he will no longer be with his owner. In January, Williams is due to receive a new guide dog and Orlando will be referred for adoption.

Still from the hospital, Williams revealed that, as much as he wanted to stay with Orlando, he can't afford to keep it, as the insurance doesn't cover the costs of a dog that isn't providing services. But this story can change.

Moved by the situation, netizens ran a virtual campaign through Indiegogo to raise funds so that Williams could adopt Orlando. In just two days, the goal of raising US $ 50, 000 has already been reached and the collection continues until December 31st.

Everything indicates that we will have a beautiful happy ending.