When a rare winter storm swept through St. George, South Carolina, on January 25, one man and his dog found themselves exposed to the cold—until the town of 1,800 came together to help.
Chris Brannon and his dog, Mowgli, had nowhere to go as temperatures plunged and freezing rain fell. That’s when Carlos Canales spotted them, shivering in the cold.
“He was out there shivering,” Canales said. He handed Brannon all the cash he had, but couldn’t stop thinking about them. When he returned later with hot food, he noticed icicles forming in Brannon’s beard.
Moved by what he saw, Canales went home and told his wife. “She just told me, ‘I think God is trying to tell you something,’” he said.
Canales couldn’t find Brannon again, so he turned to Facebook, asking the community for help. Within hours, he was flooded with calls and messages. One of them came from Lisa Steward Westbury, a retired judge’s assistant, and another from Ruthie Tripp, a member of the local town council. The two women searched the town, following leads from social media, until they finally found Brannon and Mowgli, still out in the cold.
“He had icicles on his beard, that’s how cold it was and rainy,” Tripp said.
By the time they reached a local hotel, the people of St. George had raised enough money to pay for a week’s stay for Brannon and his dog. Donations continued pouring in: more than 70 acts of generosity followed, from warm meals to cash to extra nights at the motel.
“Our community, when we ask, we get,” said Steward Westbury.
Even residents with very little found ways to give. Holly Noble, an EMT who saw the Facebook post, donated a winter coat for Mowgli—even though she was struggling to afford gas to get to work herself.
“I’ve slept in my truck with my dog before,” Noble said. “I don’t know his story. I just wanted to help.”
Brannon and Mowgli have now found temporary shelter, thanks to the outpouring of support. The motel manager even added a few nights for free.
“What struck me was the diversity of different people from different backgrounds,” said Canales. “No racial barrier that you saw. What you saw is humanity.”
Brannon was overwhelmed with gratitude.
“You guys have definitely given us another chance at life,” he said. “This time here will make a difference throughout the whole year.”
