Man thanks community for help after fatal wreck
Jenny licks Will Dactle after being found near Moses Lake. Jenny ran from the scene of a fatal collision that Dactle’s brother was involved in.
Editor’s note: Author Will Dactle’s brother, Tyler Cowdry, of Portland, Ore., was involved in a fatal collision Jan. 14 near Moses Lake that claimed the life of Lauren Schatz, 31, also of Portland. The night of the collision, Tyler’s dog, Jenny, ran away. Below is Will’s story detailing how local residents helped his family reunite Jenny with Tyler.
The first time I saw the intersection at Roads 2 and O, I hoped it held the key to turning a tragedy into a story of redemption. This stretch of farmland separated by country roads leaves little to hint at the character of the area. The mile long crop fields were big, like the ocean, and when you are looking for a 45-pound dog hidden amongst them they get even bigger.
We prayed for help in the search for my brother’s dog Jenny, but we never imagined we’d have the help we received. After my first night tracking her, alone and defeated, a gentle man named Wally Bergeson carried me through his fields and along canals helping me search.
Without any leads, later that day Lupe Saenz brought us water and supplies and spent Friday night and Saturday assisting us, only to pay for the vet visit after we found her.
We were sleeping in our cars and people like Elliot Goodrich offered to talk about it at church and post it on community websites.
On Sunday, when Tyler was released from the hospital, finding Jenny seemed improbable and when we needed hope we received a call that Jenny was seen. Greg and Donna DeBeaumont and Deputy Gary Mansford and his partner were in pursuit, but being at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland put us just out of reach and we arrived too late. Jenny was gone again.
Feeling like we had missed our chance, Greg and Donna graciously offered us a home cooked meal, a warm fireplace and a proper bathroom for the ladies, as Donna put it. We couldn’t thank them enough and hoped we could repay them, but when we tried Donna said, “Don’t pay us back; pay it forward.”
The final night, Sunday, was the coldest, spent quietly praying for the fog to lift. Bob Chism, the professional from the dog rescue group ResQ Angels arrived and blessed us with focus staying up through the night with us knowing our last day was Monday and time was limited.
After sunrise Donna spoiled us with breakfast and coffee as we continued our search. Deputy Korey Judkins and local families, whose names I wish I knew, helped find and captured Jenny later that day. The entire Grant County Sheriff’s Department donated their time and resources, with patience and care, in lieu of answering what I’d imagine were a pile of suspicious vehicle reports.
These four days were filled with dizzying ups and downs and it seemed at every point of darkness, Moses Lake residents appeared with lanterns, love and hope to give. This journey confirmed that faith is something that is cultivated, and just when you think all hope is lost you may just need a farmer. The great people of Moses Lake, Wash. are all angels to my family in this unfortunate circumstance and showed us that this small community is chock-full of caring, gracious and humble people.
Thank you, Moses Lake, for paying it forward.