Rescue Dog Returns the Favor, Saves Family from Fire

Lincoln-Way Central graduate Jim Carrigan and his family were left with very little Jan. 12, when a fire tore through their Macomb home.

But it could have been so much worse, if not for their rescue mutt Hudson. The family was sleeping soundly when the labrador/collie mix began barking uncontrollably, rousing Carrigan and alerting him to a fire consuming the living room.

Carrigan woke his wife Sara, who grabbed their infant Trey while Carrigan woke their daughters, 2 and 7, and got everyone out safely. All were safe—except for the family cat that went missing as they were evacuating. Firefighters found the cat hiding in a bedroom, scared and injured, but alive.

A candle sparked the blaze that took their home and nearly everything they had. His mother Maureen started a GoFundMe page to help the family offset the costs of temporary relocation while the family waits for insurance coverage to kick in.

Still, the Martino Jr. High alum and Air Force veteran finds it hard to accept help from the community his family has long called home.

“There are people who are in a lot worse positions than we are,” Carrigan said.

After a brief stint at the animal hospital, the cat is recovering and almost back to full health.

“It was unreal how fast the fire got out of control,” Carrigan said.