The Pit Bull Who Pulled Her Unconscious Owner Off Train Tracks

Just after midnight in Shirley, Massachusetts, a freight-train engineer spotted something on the tracks ahead. A pit bull was desperately trying to pull an unconscious woman out of the approaching train’s path.

The engineer hit the brakes, but there wasn’t enough time to stop. When he got out to see what had happened, he discovered that the woman was alive and unharmed.

The dog had been struck by the train. When emergency workers arrived, the badly injured pit bull was still standing beside the woman she had just saved.

Lilly Was Supposed to Be the One Getting a Fresh Start

Her name was Lilly, and she was eight years old. Three years earlier, Boston police officer David Lanteigne had adopted her from an animal shelter as a companion for his mother, Christine Spain.

Lilly had been a shy, anxious dog when David first met her. Christine was struggling with depression and alcoholism, and he hoped that having a dog to care for would help his mother through some difficult years. It worked better than he could have imagined.

Christine and Lilly became incredibly close. David later told the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or MSPCA, that Lilly had become the center of his mother’s life. He also credited the dog’s companionship with helping Christine significantly reduce her drinking.

For three years, they had looked after each other. Then, in May 2012, Lilly would get the chance to return the favor in a way nobody could have expected.

The Engineer Saw Lilly Pulling Her Away

Christine was walking home from a friend’s house when she collapsed near the railway tracks. She had lost consciousness and couldn’t move herself out of danger.

As a westbound freight train approached, Lilly began pulling Christine away from the rails. The engineer later told emergency responders that he had seen the dog dragging the woman toward safety and had tried to stop the train.

But the locomotive was already too close. Lilly managed to get Christine out of its path, only to be struck herself.

The impact caused terrible injuries to Lilly’s right front leg, fractured her pelvis and damaged one of her rear legs. Yet when first responders reached Christine, Lilly was still beside her, standing guard despite her injuries.

A local animal-control officer rushed Lilly to an emergency veterinary hospital in Acton. David met them there and immediately took her to Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, where specialists could treat her injuries.

Christine had escaped without a scratch. Now her family was hoping Lilly would survive.

Two Surgeries and a New Way to Walk

Veterinarians at Angell discovered that the damage to Lilly’s right front leg was too severe to repair. They would have to amputate it to save her life.

Her first major operation took place on May 5. Surgeons removed the badly injured leg, then prepared for another procedure to repair fractures in her pelvis and left rear leg.

During the second surgery, they used metal plates to stabilize the broken bones. Lilly had survived the accident, but her recovery presented another challenge. She would have to learn to walk on three legs while one of the remaining legs was still healing.

The veterinary team expected months of rehabilitation. Lilly would need help standing, moving around and gradually rebuilding her strength.

Through it all, she remained remarkably calm. The medical staff were impressed by her gentle behavior, even after everything she had been through.

On May 12, just over a week after the accident, Lilly was finally released from the hospital. She went home with David to continue her recovery, and Christine moved in as well so she could help care for the dog who had saved her life.

Strangers Raised More Than Five Times Her Hospital Bill

While Lilly was recovering, news of her rescue spread across the country and around the world. People were moved by what she had done for Christine, and donations began pouring into the MSPCA to help cover her treatment.

Her medical bills totaled approximately $15,000. But by the time she left the hospital, people had donated roughly $76,000.

There were other gifts, too. Strangers sent cards, toys and food, while others offered free rehabilitation services and supplies for Lilly’s recovery. Once her medical expenses were covered, the remaining donations went into the MSPCA’s Pet Care Assistance Fund, which helps families who cannot afford emergency veterinary treatment for their animals.

The attention also brought Lilly an unexpected honor. She was unanimously chosen to receive the MSPCA’s 2012 Animal Hero Award, with a ceremony scheduled for October 25 at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston.

Lilly Went on to Help Hundreds of Other Dogs

David began appearing with Lilly at events promoting animal adoption and responsible dog ownership. He wanted people to see the protective, affectionate side of pit bulls that Lilly had shown so clearly that night.

Their work eventually grew into the Lilly the Hero Pit Bull community, which helped raise awareness and financial support for other dogs needing care.

According to the group’s organizers, supporters have helped hundreds of dogs receive veterinary treatment since 2012 and contributed more than $200,000 toward medical cases promoted through the network.