A 53-year-old man named Keith Walker is a regular person—much like you and me. And even though nobody was around to watch what he did on that fateful 18th of December last year, being homeless and a ‘nobody’ did not stop him from rescuing the animals inside The W-Underdogs building that has caught fire.
In an interview, Walker became honest and said that he got nervous about what happened. He was afraid to go inside the burning facility that was already covered in smoke. But he believes that God has put him there so he can save those animals. And as a self-proclaimed dog lover, Walker says that anyone who can love a dog can love anyone in the world.
And this was precisely his motivation when he rescued those animals in peril. He confesses that his dog is his best friend, and says that he wouldn’t be where he is right now if it wasn’t for him. So Walker knew that it was his duty to save those other dogs in danger.
His brave act has been deemed newsworthy, with his story going viral. But above anything else, his heroism was able to safely save six dogs and ten cats from what may have been an unfortunate fate for them.
The W-Underdogs founder, Grace Hamlin, says that she has known Walker for some time now. He dwells in the area where she has offered him odd jobs through the years, and she provides him with food and shelter together with his dog, Bravo.
In an interview with Victoria Sitwell, a dog behavior expert and advisory board member for The W-Underdogs narrated what happened that day. She says that Walker was making his way towards the shelter to see his dog when he noticed smoke from the kitchen window. Upon seeing this, he beckoned for his friend Mike to call 911, but he himself sprang into action to rescue the animals. Not soon after, the Fulton County Animal Services fire department arrived on the scene.
After pulling out all the animals from the destruction, the fire department was also able to successfully extinguish the fire. While the rest of the structure remained intact, it was declared uninhabitable, leaving Hamlin, who also took refuge in the facility, without a home also.
It was fortunate that the electrical fire did not spread faster than it should have across the old structure. Two of their large dogs, who had been with them for a long time, were in the kitchen. They were a particular favorite of everyone who meets them, especially the children—so if the fire department came a little too late, and Keith didn’t see the flames soon enough, they would have died inside.
Hamlin cannot stress how thankful she is for Walker and his heroic act of saving her animals. She says she is still in disbelief, having been in a fire before and knowing how fast they can spread. She calls Walker her ‘hero.’
The W-Underdogs was founded six years ago by Hamlin, who’s a former veteran, and meant as a grassroots organization with the objective of empowering the youth through animal rescue missions. She says that aside from teaching compassion and empathy to animals, it is also imperative that these kids under their care also show the same to their fellow human beings.
The founders wanted to give kids something worthwhile to do, get them off the streets, and teach them skills—and the best way to do this is to have them take care of dogs. Aside from this, the organization also imparts leadership skills and helps the children with their self-esteem.
Stilwell and Hamlin met in Atlanta at a seminar four years ago. She was utterly impressed with the former veteran’s mission, that she wondered how she can help using her skills to be of help with the dogs. Also, she is just as passionate about helping the children, calling it a ‘natural fit.’ Since then, Stilwell has also been helping with both the rescue and outreach.
Stilwell immediately drove to the shelter the night she was notified about the fire. Shocked, she went there with her van where she loaded it with cats and one of their pit bulls named Batman. The canine looked frightened, so she appeased him by stroking him on the chest and told him it was going to be okay. As if understanding the reassurance, the dog put his paw on her arm.
Fortunately for Walker, he did not get injured during the rescue, and none of the animals were harmed. They were then transported to another building for safety. The team from W-Underdogs quickly coordinated with different facilities so that community members could pitch in blankets and other items they could use because their supplies got destroyed in the fire.
Good Samaritans from all over did not just donate blankets, but also food for the animals. Stilwell expresses her delight for their community members who wholeheartedly give back. Since then, volunteers came on a weekly basis to assist with the animals or take their dogs on walks.
Despite his heroism, Walker isn’t one to gloat on his good deed. Stilwell describes him to be a humble man who doesn’t desire or ask for much in life—being with his dog Bravo is enough. She further says that his motivation behind his heroic deed could be attributed to his love for animals, and his intention of being able to give back to Grace for her hospitality. At the back of his head, he probably thinks that if he didn’t do it, nobody else would and the animals would end up dying.
Stilwell says that it’s during instances like these when a person’s true character comes out, reminding us that people are generally good, kind, and giving. She further notes that experiences like these are what truly teaches us.
After the incident, The W-Underdogs has set up a GoFundMe page for Walker. They assured everyone through their Facebook page that they have his best interests at heart, and are looking at ways on how they can manage the donations that have been sent on his behalf.
Source: W-Underdogs / Facebook
