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Teen Trapped For 3 Days Without Water Is Saved By Search Dog Just In Time

September 18, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Farmington, Missouri.

Fourteen-year-old Cody Trenkle’s story is nothing short of miraculous. After crashing his skateboard near Goose Creek Lake in late July, Cody tumbled 240 feet into a rugged ravine. For nearly 80 hours, his family and rescuers searched desperately, fearing the worst.

Then came a hero with four legs and a powerful nose.

Cody Trenkle and K-9 Daryl / GoFundMe

Six-year-old bloodhound K-9 Daryl, from the Farmington Correctional Center, was given a pair of Cody’s shoes to track. Within just 20 minutes, he had done the impossible—finding Cody alive in the dense, steep terrain.

“Twenty minutes on a three-day-old track, that’s almost unheard of,” said Lt. Joe Gillam, who leads the K-9 unit. “As a parent myself with a 14-year-old, this was the best-case scenario because he was found alive.”

When Daryl’s alerts went off, Cody’s mom, Stephanie Neely, knew her son had been found.

“I put all my faith in Daryl, and sure enough, 20 minutes later, all the alarms started going off. That’s when I knew they found him,” she said.

Rescuers discovered Cody badly injured, lying in a foot of water, dehydrated and fighting for his life. He was airlifted to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, where he spent 11 days in a medically-induced coma and a full month recovering from a brain bleed, pneumonia, and deep cuts.

GoFundMe

Despite everything, Cody’s spirit never wavered. “Just got to get the head healed, and then I’m Cody again,” he joked.

Two weeks after being released from the hospital, Cody not only returned to school but also got to meet his rescuer face-to-face. The grin on his face said it all. “If I’d had to spend a couple more hours down there, I wouldn’t have made it. But because of him, 20 minutes, man, I’m impressed,” Cody said as he reached down to pet Daryl. His simple words of thanks—“Thank you. Thanks, Bubbas.”—captured the moment perfectly.

For Stephanie, watching her son hug the dog who saved his life was overwhelming. “He was on a mission that day, which I’m grateful for. But just seeing him today and seeing Cody get to meet him, it’s pretty amazing.”

The Missouri Department of Corrections honored Daryl and the K-9 team with medals for their lifesaving work. But for Cody and his family, no award could ever measure up to the gift they’ve been given.

Cody still faces months of healing ahead, but his resilience—and the heroism of a dog named Daryl—have already written a story of hope he and his family will never forget.

Watch the reunion below: