One Florida family’s dog named Macho is proving yet again that canines truly are man’s best friend. This smart and brave good boy alerted his teenage owner that the house was on fire on New Year's Eve 2023. Because of this dog’s quick thinking, Griffin Evans got himself and his trusty pooch to safety.
Griffin’s mom Nicole Evans was not home at the time of the fire. The Safety Harbor resident is so grateful to her dog for keeping her son safe. She is also thankful for her neighbors who are helping the family through this difficult time.
The family is still processing this traumatic event. “My son awoke with the help of our dog, who was barking furiously, and when my son, being 17 and a very hard sleeper, did not respond to the dog, my dog bit Griffin," Nicole told WFTS. “As soon as Griffin was up, he grabbed his phone, he saw the flames that were outside his window, and he knew he had to get out of the house."
No one was hurt in the blaze but Nicole and Griffin’s home was destroyed. While this is difficult, Nicole is thankful the two most important things were not harmed. “All those things [we lost] are just things," she told WFLA. "And some of those things do matter, [but] in the end, it’s all replaceable. He’s not replaceable, my dog is not replaceable.”
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Nicole is overwhelmed by the support her community has shown her. “Before I was even able to get my wits about me, I already had people telling me it was going to be okay," she told WFLA. The community kept their word and jumped into action.
“They raised money. They raised gift funds. People brought in things that they didn’t need anymore," Nicole stated to WFTS. "People brought in brand new things: quilts, blankets, towels, toiletries, more than we could think that we even needed.”
Nicole is taking it a day at a time but has such a positive attitude. "This can be replaced. This can be rebuilt. We can start anew like anything is possible, and I have everything I need," she gushed. A GoFundMe page has already reached its $5,000 goal.
To learn more about the Evans’ family’s gratitude, watch this video.
