Rudy Armstrong was on his houseboat earlier this month when his foot fell asleep. He sat down and couldn’t move his arm when he awoke. Bubu, his faithful dog, came over to check on him, and she could tell something was wrong right away.
Because he couldn’t reach his phone, Armstrong looked Bubu in the eyes and said, “I need help.” “Go get Kim,” she says. Bubu, a Chihuahua mix, was well-prepared.
She dashed off the boat and ran into Kim, the marina’s dockmaster. “She came right up to her, and instead of barking, jumping, and licking her like she usually does, she stopped right in front of her and laid down on her side,” Brady Popp, public relations manager for CarolinaEast Health System, told The Dodo.
Bubu led Kim back to the boat, where she discovered Armstrong had had a stroke and dialed 911. Armstrong was taken to the hospital by paramedics, while Kim looked after Bubu.
Bubu’s quick actions have helped her father recover quickly. Armstrong, on the other hand, missed his little friend more than anything after weeks in the hospital and rehab facility.
“I went to Rudy’s room to hear about Bubu’s role in saving his life, and I had the pleasure of sitting with him for over an hour, listening to story after story about his life, his time in the Navy, and his special bond with Bubu,” Popp said. “The fact that he has no close friends or family nearby led me to attempt to orchestrate a reunion between him and Bubu.”
Armstrong was wheeled into the facility’s garden on the day of the reunion, where he couldn’t contain his excitement. “Rudy was practically bouncing in his wheelchair like a kid on Christmas morning leading up to her arrival,” Popp said.
When Kim and Bubu arrived, the dog appeared perplexed at being in such an unfamiliar setting. But she didn’t take long to recognize her father.
“When Rudy took off his mask, Bubu immediately recognized him, jumped into his lap, and began licking his face nonstop!” Popp remarked. “It was a beautiful moment, and everyone in the room was close to tears with Rudy and Bubu’s obvious joy.”
Armstrong has since been released and is back on his boat with his beloved Bubu, ready to cuddle and kiss his way through another day.