On a snow-covered Sunday in Springfield this past week, newly retired Missouri State University softball head coach Holly Hesse bundled up for the brisk winter weather and took her two dogs on their regular walk. Walking around the pond at Lakeshore Apartments, she let the dogs off-leash as she had done plenty of times before.
But unlike past trips, the dogs noticed ducks upon the icy pond and bolted after them. Soon, both dogs had fallen in the frigid water. While Reba, a year-old black bernedoodle, got out of the cold water on her own, Hesse noticed her smaller dog, a Yorkie named Bailey, struggled to do the same.
“I knew it was risky to go out on the ice, but I had to get to Bailey at any price,” she said in a poetic retelling of her experience at a Wednesday media event.
Retired MSU softball coach Holly Hesse thanks the first responders who rescued her and her dogs from an icy pond at the Lakeshore Apartments this past Sunday. Hesse fell through the ice and into the water trying to get her Yorkie named Bailey, who fell in the water chasing ducks.
Hesse got to Bailey safely but upon heading back to solid ground, she, with the small dog in her hand, felt the ice crack below her. Drenched in icy cold water, she credited her time as a softball coach for helping her stay calm. She eventually called 911 herself, remaining on the phone for 18 minutes while she stayed on her back with her legs and head out of the water while she waited.
Several local firefighters from multiple stations responded to the call, with Chief Ben Houston organizing the response as the water rescue team arrived. Captain Chris Gardner and equipment operator Tyler Nevins performed the rescue, with backup from members of the water rescue team, who trained as recently as last week, according to a city news release. In total, Hesse remained in the frigid water for roughly 30 minutes, protected in part by the water-proof pants and heated vest she was wearing.
“The fact that you were able to stay calm is what saved your life,” Station 11 Capt. Marc Becker told Hesse on Wednesday, though she credits those who responded to her call.
Throughout that time, Hesse was still worried about her dogs. Reba remained by her side, circling the ice where Hesse had fallen in.
Retired MSU softball coach Holly Hesse thanked the first responders who rescued her and her dogs from an icy pond at the Lakeshore Apartments this past Sunday during a media event on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Hesse fell through the ice and into the water trying to get her Yorkie named Bailey, who fell in the water chasing ducks.
“My first concern is the dogs, and I wasn’t in a position I could help them,” she said. “It wasn’t just me, it was both of these two that I love dearly that were at risk.”
This was the first ice rescue Becker remembers in recent SFD history. Despite the rarity of the situation, Becker said the department undergoes rigorous training and practices the scenarios to ensure the crew is ready when the need arises. The training, including safely breaking through the ice, executing self-rescue and victim movement maneuvers, is performed once a year whenever there is ice, he said.
Hesse was transported to shore, warmed up and transported to Mercy Hospital out of an abundance of caution. In cold weather conditions, a person’s core temperature can drop quickly, which was the case for Hesse, Roush said in the release. She remained at the hospital for roughly two hours in what she described as “thawing out.” Hesse and her dogs did not suffer any injuries and have now recovered from the event.
Retired MSU softball coach Holly Hesse thanks the first responders who rescued her and her dogs from an icy pond at the Lakeshore Apartments this past Sunday. Hesse fell through the ice and into the water trying to get her Yorkie named Bailey, who fell in the water chasing ducks.
“I did enough wrong things to get the three of us in trouble, and then I did enough right things so we all got saved,” she said.
Hesse and her two pups reunited with her rescuers Wednesday to thank them for saving her life. Nevins, the one who actually went onto the ice to get Hesse to safety, was the only one not present.
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“While at the surface the ice appears solid and capable of supporting your weight, the reality is much different, which could result in falling through the ice into very cold water,” Fire Chief David Pennington said in the release. “This becomes a dangerous and very serious situation very quickly.”
The fire department encourages anyone who sees someone playing on ice or someone who has fallen through ice to not attempt to rescue them but instead call 911 and maintain voice and visual contact with the victim, assuring them that help is on the way, if safe to do so.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield woman, dogs saved from drowning after falling through ice