Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust

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Synopsis

Michael Hingson was blind since birth as the result of oxygen treatments he received after being born prematurely. He never let it hold him back, though, and in spite of the doctor recommending to his parents that they send him to a residential school for the blind, they never treated him any differently than their sighted son. Over the years since his teens, Michael had several guide dogs. In 2001, he was being guided by a yellow lab named Roselle with whom he'd been partnered somewhat recently. Whenever she was in her harness, Roselle was all business, but during her off hours, she was free to be more self-indulgent, and never more so than when there was a thunderstorm.

On September 11, 2001, Roselle awakened Michael in the wee hours of the morning, frightened of an approaching storm. Knowing he needed to take care of her, Michael got up and while Roselle shivered at his feet, he got some work done on his computer. He had a busy day of client meetings ahead as a sales rep at the company he worked for on the 78th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. By the time morning dawned, Michael was a bit tired from the long night with Roselle, but with the storm having passed, it appeared to be just like any other day. However, not long after arriving at work, the building was rocked by a loud boom in what seemed like an explosion. With Roselle by his side, Michael started making his way down the 1,463 stairs to evacuate. Along the way, handler and dog relied on each other to make it out alive while Michael reminisced about his past and how it might have prepared him for just this moment. In the end, their heartwarming bond of loyalty and trust brought hope to many people after one of the darkest days in American history.

Review

Thunder Dog is the memoir of author Michael Hingson, who is blind and has partnered with several guide dogs since his teen years. On September 11, 2001, he was at his job on the 78th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, along with his guide dog, Roselle, when the first hijacked airplane slammed into the building. At the time, he was working as a sales rep and was meeting with a group of clients. Thinking there had been some kind of explosion, he immediately told the guests to evacuate, while he and his friend/coworker, David, stayed behind to shut down electronics and close up the office. They ended up making the decision to leave some things undone, and that choice likely shaved off valuable minutes that helped save their lives. The two men and Roselle made their way to a stairwell, along with hundreds of other people who were also in Tower 1 at the time. As they gradually made their way down the seemingly endless flight of stairs, Michael and Roselle relied on each other for guidance, friendship, and a sense of calm in the midst of a terrifying situation. Throughout their slow but steady decent, Michael thought back to all the things he'd learned and experienced as a blind person that could help him in these circumstance and managed to maintain a sense of peace in spite of the fear. While in the stairwell, Michael, Roselle, and David were insulated from what was going on outside, but once they finally reached the lobby, they became aware of the South Tower having been hit as well. Less than fifteen minutes after they exited the North Tower, the South Tower collapsed, leaving them running for their lives, but with Roselle as a steadying presence by Michael's side, he was able to make it out of the terrifying cloud of dust and debris that engulfed them and go on to tell their amazing story of survival.

Thunder Dog wasn't released until nearly a decade after September 11, but I've had it on my TBR list since it came out. I've always been fascinated by stories of survival against the odds, and although it can still be rather emotional for me to relive September 11, I can't seem to help myself when it comes to reading about that dark day in America's history. Michael Hingson's story is one that is both inspiring and emotional. Given the nature of the attacks that day, it's pretty astounding that anyone survived, and yet here we have not just any ordinary man, but someone who's blind, managing to make it out of one of the towers alive. The trust and camaraderie between Michael and Roselle is something incredibly special and without it, he might not have survived to tell the tale. But it isn't just their September 11 survival story that's so compelling, but Michael's entire life that I found inspiring.

Born prematurely, Michael lost his sight in infancy due to the oxygen treatment that was used at the time to help develop the lungs of babies born too early. When he was diagnosed as blind, his parents were counseled by their doctor to put him in a residential school for the blind, but they refused to treat him any differently than their sighted son. That decision likely also played a part in his survival on that fateful day, because Michael always did nearly everything his older brother did, including terrifying the neighbors by riding a bicycle, and never let anything stop him. He's even driven a car (in a limited capacity) and once flew an airplane. It's amazing what disabled people can accomplish when given the right tools and education and when they're not treated as incapable by teachers or prospective employers. Thunder Dog is Mr. Hingson's story of not only surviving on September 11 thanks to help from his guide dog, but also a memoir of an extraordinarily normal life in spite of blindness, while also advocating for blind people to be treated fairly and equitably. I'm inspired and impressed by all that the author has accomplished and highly recommend his book to anyone who wants to learn more about blindness or who enjoys encouraging stories of people overcoming challenges in life.

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Michael Hingson

Susy Flory