Firefighter Adopts Second Puppy He Rescued From Georgia Fire

Lieutenant John Isaac Holaway carried eight newborn puppies out of a burning Georgia home last March, passing each one through a window to safety. Now two of those brothers share his home and bring joy to an entire firehouse.

When Pickens County firefighters rushed into the flames, they found a mother dog who had given her life shielding her babies from the fire. Holaway and his crew carefully gathered each puppy and handed them to safety outside.

All eight puppies survived and were cared for by two local rescues, Pup and Cat Company and Bosley's Place. Holaway had already adopted one of them, naming him Chief Lou.

Then Jennifer Seigel, founder of Bosley's Place, spotted a familiar face on social media. A puppy named Kreed needed a foster home after his first adoption didn't work out.

Seigel reached out to confirm her hunch. "I said, is this my step son?" she laughed, realizing Kreed was one of the fire puppies.

She immediately thought of Holaway. When she told him Kreed needed help, the firefighter suggested reuniting the brothers to see if they remembered each other.

The moment Kreed and Chief Lou met for the first time since the fire, the bond was instant. "They haven't seen each other since the house fire," Seigel said. "It was an amazing reunion."

Holaway noticed the change in Kreed right away. "From the picture I saw yesterday, he looked pretty sad, and now he looks real happy," he said. "Lou's loving it. They both seem happy, and that makes me happy."

Sunny's Take

Holaway brings both dogs to the fire station regularly, where they've become unofficial therapy animals for the crew. "The guys love it," he said. "No matter what kind of day we are having, some snuggles and love from the dog is always a plus."

For Seigel, watching the story unfold feels like coming full circle. "It's all love, love, love all the way around," she said.

Holaway is taking things one day at a time with Kreed's fostering arrangement, but he's already noticed something special. "There's just a special connection with these dogs, because I rescued them," he said.

For now, two brothers who survived tragedy together get to grow up together in the home of the man who saved their lives.