On a cold February evening in 2008, a Belgium Draft Horse weighing more than 1,500 pounds slipped into the French Broad River near Etowah, North Carolina. The powerful animal, bred for strength and endurance, was no match for the icy current and frigid temperatures. As the night wore on, the horse struggled to keep its head above the water, battling exhaustion as hypothermia began to set in.
By the following morning, Wednesday, February 6, responders from the Etowah–Horse Shoe Fire Department arrived to attempt a rescue. Among them was firefighter Jamie Gash, who waded into the challenge of securing a harness around the horse in hopes of pulling it to safety. The effort required teamwork, patience, and care—moving a distressed draft horse in deep, freezing water was no small task.
Despite the dedication of the rescue team, time and the elements worked against them. After hours of struggle, the horse finally gave in to the cold, succumbing to exhaustion and hypothermia before it could be lifted from the river.
The incident was a somber reminder of both the vulnerability of even the strongest creatures in nature’s grip and the compassion of those who fight tirelessly to save them.
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| Artistic interpretation: Firefighter Jamie Gash works to harness a Belgian Draft Horse after it fell into the French Broad River near Etowah, NC. |
