Crowdfunded Rescue Saves Dog After Hiker's 180-Foot Fall

When Jessica Johnston plummeted 180 feet down a waterfall in New Zealand's South Island, she was lucky to survive—but her border collie Molly disappeared into the wild.

Johnston and Molly had been exploring the island's rainforests and glaciers together, camping their way through one of the world's most stunning landscapes. Then Johnston's foot slipped at the top of an 18-story waterfall, sending her tumbling down the cliff face.

Rescuers rushed Johnston to safety, but Molly was nowhere to be found. The border collie had vanished into the rugged terrain, and Johnston faced an impossible choice: recovering from her injuries or searching for her best friend.

News of Molly's disappearance spread quickly across New Zealand. Precision Helicopters, a local company known for rescuing stranded cows and horses, launched a crowdfunding campaign to support a search mission that would cost about $50 per minute of flight time.

Within eight hours, people across the country donated $11,500. The funds covered three search trips with thermal imaging equipment and a team of volunteers ready to comb the mountains.

On March 30, a blue helicopter lifted off toward the waterfall. Just over an hour into the search, the thermal camera picked up something wedged between rocks near the cliff edge.

As the helicopter approached, the crew spotted a soaking wet black and white dog shivering among the boulders. It was Molly, alive after a full week in the wilderness.

Crewman Wayne descended from the hovering helicopter with his Jack Russell terrier Bingo to help keep Molly calm. He offered the frightened dog a piece of sausage, then carefully lifted both dogs back into the aircraft.

Sunny's Take

This story captures something beautiful about human nature. Thousands of strangers opened their wallets for a dog they'd never met and a hiker they didn't know. They funded an expensive search mission simply because they believed Molly deserved a chance. Wayne even brought his own dog along to comfort a scared animal in distress. Sometimes the best of humanity shows up in the smallest acts of kindness multiplied by community.

When Molly finally reunited with Johnston, who was recovering with a cast on her arm, the dog jumped up to lick her face. "She's been through a bloody rough week," Johnston wrote on Facebook afterward. "But with both of us back home, I can add this adventure to the list."

Both survived the impossible, and thousands of kind hearts made sure they'd face recovery together.