Note: We are republishing this story which originally made the news in June 2018.

Amelia Milling, a 21-year-old college student who is also deaf, embarked on a solo hiking trip in the remote wilderness of Alaska. The journey was meant to be a personal challenge, combining her love of nature and her desire to prove her independence. However, the adventure took a dangerous turn when she slipped on a patch of snow and tumbled over 300 feet down the side of a mountain.

Although she miraculously survived the fall with only bruises and some minor injuries, Amelia quickly realized she was disoriented and lost. Stranded in the rugged Alaskan backcountry, with no clear way to get back to her trail or call for immediate help, the situation became increasingly dire.

Then, something incredible happened. Out of the wilderness appeared a white husky with striking blue eyes. At first, Amelia thought the dog was a stray, but he wore a vest that identified him as a service dog from a nearby rescue organization. His name was Nanook. The dog approached Amelia calmly, as if sensing her distress, and began leading her. Trusting the husky, she followed him, and to her astonishment, he guided her back to the main path.

But Nanook’s help didn’t stop there. When Amelia later attempted to cross a fast-moving river and was swept away by the current, the dog jumped in and pulled her to safety once again.

Eventually, Amelia was rescued by a search-and-rescue team after activating her emergency beacon. She credited Nanook for saving her life more than once during her harrowing experience. Her story quickly spread, capturing the hearts of people around the world, and Nanook was hailed as a true hero of the Alaskan wilderness.

Milling and Nanook the husky hiked together for a few more kilometers, but Milling slipped and fell into a freezing river she was attempting to cross.

She knew she had to remove her backpack to stay afloat.

“I was really struggling to breathe,” she said. “My whole body was numb.”

She was unable to reach and hold on to a branch, and that’s when Nanook came to her rescue yet again. The husky jumped into the freezing waters, grabbed Milling’s backpack in her mouth, and paddled Milling to dry land.

Milling used her satellite phone to call for help, and the two were rescued the following day by Alaska state troopers.

Nanook was reunited with his owner, Scott Swift, who lives a few kilometers from the hiking trail.

Milling called Nanook her “guardian angel,” and recalled how the husky camped outside her tent during the night.

“I told him several times that I love him,” she said. “And I’ll never forget him.”Photo Credit:

Swift stated that his beloved husky had saved at least three other hikers, and added that he “wouldn’t doubt if there’s more out there.”