Dear Editor:

Thank you to all of the incident responders on June 4 at Sunnyside Trail in Aspen. Special thanks to the Aspen Volunteer Fire Department, Kevin Smiddy and Aspen Deputy Fire Chief Rick Balentine, who entered the water after our furry family member, Annie.

Also, a huge thank-you to the community safety officers, police officers, sheriff and all others who arrived on the scene. Our little pup Annie was washed down the culvert so quickly we knew we needed help, and I am so grateful that the Aspen community was more than willing to assist with this type of emergency.

Everyone was quick to help and extremely patient with our frantic, panicked behavior. We just keep thinking of her trying to swim upstream to get to safety, and we don’t know what we would have done had this ended differently. We are so appreciative to all, and if Annie could speak, she would be giving lots of thank-yous, as well. We have learned not to go near moving water any time in the near future – but after all that, Annie is still swimming!

Lauren, Nathan and Annie Waldron

Aspen