By Robin DuCharme
“How is Samson?” people often ask, since Samson’s miraculous rescue on Christmas morning on Scammon Road in Greenville. Here is an update on Samson, and a little background:
After an 8-hour drive from Connecticut, we’d arrived in Greenville to spend the holidays with our Greenville family around 11 pm on December 23. Christmas Eve day we planned to sleep, relax, rest, join the 4 pm gathering at Greenville Union Church where we go in the summer- and, of course, spend time with family. The days prior to our December 23 Road trip to Greenville from Old Greenwich, CT had been hectic: frequent drives to JFK to pick up family; and my eldest driving home in a car with bad brakes (they have since been repaired).
Samson is our 2-year-old male American chocolate-silver labrador retriever; a bird dog from Arkansas who moved into our CT home at 9 weeks old. He was named after Samson in the Bible, and we consider him our fourth child.
At 10 am on Christmas Eve, Samson’s dogwalker picked up Samson to play with his dog for about an hour or so. “Back at 11:45,” he’d said, but at 11:15 AM, he called: “I can’t be back at 11:45, after all. Samson’s lost.”
“Where?” I asked, my heart sinking.
“Scammon Road,” he answered.
That Samson was lost on Scammon Road, one of the most remote roads in town, an area some cherish because it is so quiet and remote, was a nightmare. Still, we knew we would not rest until Samson was home. Thus began the 17-hour search.
At one point, the dogwalker had said, “Get in my car and search; it’s cold outside.”
I’d snapped at him, “I will not be warm while Samson is out in this cold,” and walked up and down Scammon Road bellowing Samson’s name, as my sons searched the woods to either side of that snowy road.
Finally, at 2 am, defeated, we walked inside for the first time since our search began that morning. Broken hearted, I wept, and we set our alarms for 4:15 am to resume the search. Of course, the alarm was useless as we could not sleep. We had not eaten or drank since 11 am. At 4 in the morning my phone rang: it was the dog walker and he was with a tow truck driver. I wasn’t sure what was going on but couldn’t believe my ears when he said, “Samson has been found.” He continued:
“I have good news! I found your dog! Recognized him from all the social media pics! Samson’s been following my truck down Scammon Road. Offered him biscuits, but he wouldn’t come.” The tow truck driver recognized Samson from the Moosehead Lakeshore Journal posts, and posts from animal lovers from Greenville and Abbott all the way to Greenwich, CT.
The tow-truck driver who spotted Samson in his rearview mirror, Gary, Pat, Chad and Tanya – along with our friend, Samson’s dog walker – a veteran who would not come inside without Samson – are among the heroes in this rescue. Our friend had texted at 11:30 PM he would not give up – nor come indoors- until Samson was found. His stubborn commitment to stay on Scammon Road, disregarding his own need to sleep, resulted in Samson’s rescue at 4 AM.
Ironically, his getting stuck down Scammon Road searching for Samson and calling a tow truck is a miracle and most likely what lured Samson out of the woods. Samson’s passion for chasing tow trucks, firetrucks and dump trucks is well-known in his hometown. Samson’s brain must have kicked into “go” mode when he heard and saw that tow truck. Who’d have thought: Samson’s passion for chasing trucks, sometimes to my dismay, is what saved his life.
Samson is doing great! Nothing short of a miracle! From the moment Samson was found in the early hours on Christmas morning, Samson has looked, behaved and eaten like his old self! He climbed into the dogwalker’s car as if it was just another normal day. He and the dogwalker’s dog licked faces and wagged tails, happy to see each other after 17 hours apart. The veteran said he nearly fell to his knees to thank God when he saw Samson casually stride toward his car and hop in the back seat like normal, though everyone from Maine to Connecticut was looking for and praying for him. We met Samson on Scammon Road and had the happiest Christmas morning, crying and hugging Samson, praising God and all who helped in this very cold and dark 17-hour search.
Words cannot describe how it was when we saw and hugged Samson: the youngest brother in our family; our beloved companion, my protector and the best watchdog on earth, who has never hurt a soul (unless you count bunnies) but whose bark would scare away any intruder.
Samson has eaten like a king since we found him: steak, hamburger, broth, you name it. He’s no longer limited to the Hills special lamb kibble for labs with sensitive skin. Now, it’s lots of freshly cooked beef (his favorite), unlimited love, and new special privileges and permissions! Samson used to sleep at the foot of my bed. But now, if he wants to wake me with puppy kisses, or move during the night, he is welcome to. Every Earth angel, including the Moosehead Lakeshore Journal, who posted and followed Samson’s search and rescue, the good Samaritans (mostly folks in Maine we’d never met- Gary, Tanya, Kody, Pat and the tow truck driver who spotted Samson) and every soul in Maine and Connecticut and places in between who prayed and helped rescue Samson on Christmas morning, is forever in our hearts and minds and prayers. Sincerely, Robin DuCharme and family