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PLAINFIELD, IL — Bear, the golden retriever who went missing and was later found trapped in the rising DuPage River, is safe at home tonight. The 4-year-old rescue dog was hit by a car Thursday, spent days in the wild, and was finally pulled from the flood-swollen river by his owner’s father. As of Monday, April 22, Bear is recovering with the man who became his unexpected hero: his grandfather.
The ordeal began just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Bear was outside the family’s downtown Plainfield home when a passerby approached him from behind and reached out to pet him. Startled, the dog darted into Lockport Street, where a car struck him. The driver didn’t stop, and Bear, despite clearly being hurt, scrambled to his feet and kept running. A second motorist also hit him, according to witnesses, yet the dog still refused to stop.
“He was like lightning,” said McKinley Sochacki, Bear’s owner. “I tried to chase him, but he was gone in seconds.”
Bear has always been timid. Sochacki says he came to her as a rescue dog with a history of abuse, and even small noises can send him hiding under furniture. That fear, she added, made the escape especially dangerous. Instead of coming to people calling his name, he bolted deeper into the wooded corridor along the river.
The search began Thursday night. Sochacki and her husband, Sebastian, drove up and down neighborhood streets while family members combed the riverbank on foot. By early Friday, flyers were showing up in storefronts and on lampposts throughout Plainfield. McKinley’s mother, Kelly Underwood, who owns Safe Harbor CPR & First Aid Training, used her company’s mailing list to spread the word within hours.
The response was immediate. Dozens of volunteers gathered at the Sochacki home on Friday morning, many carrying leashes, blankets, and dog treats. Drone operators flew over the DuPage River corridor, hoping to spot Bear from the air. Professional trappers were brought in to set up cage traps with food.
In total, more than 100 people joined the search at various points over the weekend. Some brought ATVs, others stood knee-deep in mud. A local restaurant donated sandwiches to volunteers, and a corner store offered ice water. Social media did the rest. Photos of Bear with his big brown eyes were shared across local community groups, reaching at least 10,000 people by Saturday. Some volunteers came from as far as Aurora and Joliet to help.
Then the weather turned. Severe thunderstorms rolled through the area over the weekend, dumping several inches of rain. The DuPage River began to rise quickly, and by Sunday morning it had overflowed its banks in a few low-lying spots. The search teams worried that Bear could be trapped somewhere with floodwaters closing in.
Around noon Sunday, Eric Underwood was searching along the river’s south bank when he heard a faint, hoarse bark. He pushed through the brush and spotted Bear on a partially submerged branch in the middle of the current. The dog was shivering, his head just above the water. The branch had caught on a fallen tree, creating a natural but dangerous trap.
Underwood, a firefighter and carpenter, knew he had to act. He kicked off his boots, waded in, and started swimming. The current was strong enough to push him downstream, but he managed to grab hold of the branch and pull himself closer to Bear.
“He was so exhausted he didn’t even struggle,” Underwood later told the family. “He just let me wrap my arm around him.”
Underwood’s son and son-in-law were waiting on the bank with a rope and a blanket. Together they dragged Bear to shore. The dog was covered in burs and ticks, and his paws were raw. He had cuts on his legs and a fever, and later tests showed early-stage infections from swallowing dirty water.
Bear was taken to a nearby veterinary clinic, where he spent the night receiving fluids and antibiotics. The clinic’s staff said he was severely dehydrated but that his heart rate was normal once he calmed down. They also treated the tick bites and cleaned several puncture wounds. By Monday morning, his white blood cell count was already moving in the right direction.
On Monday afternoon, Bear walked slowly into his living room and collapsed on his favorite blanket. For the first time in days, he ate a full bowl of food. Sochacki said he slept for hours, waking only to drink water. Though still weak, he managed to stand at the back door and sniff the wind—something he does every morning.
Animal behavior experts say that for dogs with a trauma history, recoveries can be complicated. A sudden, violent event like being hit by a car can reinforce existing anxiety, explains Dr. Melissa Hart, a veterinary behaviorist at the University of Illinois. She said owners should expect “a period of heightened skittishness” and should avoid forcing physical contact. Bear’s family says they understand this, and they are ready to be patient.
The Sochacki family is already planning ahead. They intend to fence in the backyard so Bear cannot reach the street, and they have scheduled a consultation with a local dog behaviorist to help him rebuild trust. They also plan to make sure his microchip registration is up to date, in case he ever slips off again.
In the meantime, the community has stepped up in a bigger way. A neighbor started an online fundraiser to offset Bear’s veterinary bills, and within 24 hours it had collected more than $2,000. Dozens of people posted messages of support, some sharing photos of their own rescue dogs.
“We just wanted to give back,” said the fundraiser’s organizer, who asked not to be named. “Bear is part of this town.”
For McKinley Sochacki, the best moment came Monday evening. She was sitting on the couch when Bear, still shaky, walked over and laid his head on her father’s lap.
“He knew exactly who saved him,” she said, her voice catching. “We are so lucky.”
