A mother of 4 in Alaska has gone missing and is presumed dead after risking her life to try and save her dog from drowning in a frozen river.
45-year-old Amanda Richmond Rogers was taking a hike Saturday in Anchorage with her dog, Groot, and her husband, Brian, celebrating Amanda and Brian’s 18th wedding anniversary, when Groot tried getting some water from a nearby river.
The Irish Wolfhound’s weight broke the ice below him and he fell into a small hole in the Eagle River. Amanda and Brian sprang into action to rescue the pup … and Brian says his wife, an ER nurse, didn’t hesitate to jump into the frigid water to save him.
Brian says he last spotted Amanda swimming downstream under the ice, but that was the last time he saw them … adding, “I waited and waited and am still waiting.”
Rescue teams are still on the hunt to find Groot and Amanda’s bodies, Alaska State Troopers, the state’s Dive Search, Rescue, and Recovery Team, the Solstice Search, and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers are all on the hunt.
The search came to a brief halt on Tuesday when equipment froze up … but when the sun came up Wednesday morning, the search team began deploying underwater drones, specialist rescue dogs, and sonar equipment to help with the efforts.
The family has received condolences from friends, family, and others since the tragic incident … Brian says, “To me and our four boys, [Amanda] died a hero.”