Utah woman collapsed while trekking alone. Her 5lb ‘indoor dog’ may be small but she did the unthinkable

Mama J (@motherecover) always knew her dog, Lola, loved her unconditionally, but never could she have imagined that tiny pup braving the world alone for her. In 2022, Mama J and Lola had gone up the Uinta Mountains in Utah when she suddenly lost consciousness, leaving her dog scared for life. Surprisingly, even in that intense situation, Lola didn't give up, and she decided to do whatever she could to help her beloved owner. In July 2025, Mama J took to Instagram to share the horrifying yet beautiful incident that gave her a second chance at life.

"I lay unconscious and alone in the high Uinta Mountains with very little time left," the woman recalled. If not for Lola, Mama J could have easily lost her life that day. However, her dog, a tiny Shih Tzu who had never been an outdoor pup, trudged the mountains alone in the dark to find help. Luckily, Lola found a few kind people who sensed her tension and followed her to where Mama J was lying unconscious. There, the good Samaritans fought hard to save her life until the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived. "Lola may be small, but she moved mountains for me that day," she confessed. Mama J's beautiful video received an overwhelming response on social media, with over 600k views on Instagram.

Disabled people often find support from service dogs — trained to detect emergencies and act accordingly to save lives. However, Lola, Mama J's pet, is neither a service dog nor has she received any formal training for it. Just like her, a survey of 2,000 cat and dog owners found that 56% had a pet who'd rescued them in some way. While answering, the participants talked about everything — from emotional support to alerting others in a medical emergency, embodying the true essence of a 'rescue.' Meanwhile, reacting to the story, @vivmpurcell commented, "Lola did all of that without any training. She is a champion and a warrior. Go, Lola!" Similarly, @brookepugh_9 shared, "Dogs are amazing. This tale is nowhere near your story, but I have passed out countless times; I have a disorder. My dog, who has never been trained, learned to pick up the signs before I pass out, and he has been alerting me to sit down so I don’t hurt myself when I do pass out. He’s my little hero!" 

A user who goes by @neka on Instagram wrote, "I saw in another post that our pets are actually supposed to be our children. But for some reason, they couldn't come to us that way. So they come in the form of our pets. I actually believe it too. What an amazing fur baby you have; job well done, baby girl!" Echoing the sentiments, @stopandpray174 commented, "This goes to show you they're not just our pets; they are our soulmates, and they love us unconditionally. I'm thankful you had this dog in your life; she went above and beyond, that's for sure!" Another user, @msherid1989, said, "That is incredible! What an angel. I hope you are doing well and loving your second chance at life!"

You can follow Mama J (@motherecover) on Instagram for more dog-related content.