Man's best friend, indeed.

A man in Petoskey, Mich. is alive today, thanks in large part to his dog that rushed to his aid after the man slipped and fell outside of his home on New Year's Eve.

The man, known only as Bob, had stepped outside his house to gather more wood for a a fire when he slipped and broke his neck. He cried for help, but no one answered. No one, that is, except his Golden Retriever, Kelsey, who came to his side and stayed with him for 20 hours while temperatures plunged to 24 degrees. Kelsey helped keep Bob warm and made sure he stayed awake by licking and pawing at him.

Eventually, a neighbor came by and discovered Bob and called 911. Bob was transported to a hospital and underwent surgery.

"I don't think he would be living unless the dog were there," Dr. Chaim Colen, who operated on him, said. "The dog kept him warm. The dog kept his extremities warm. He didn't have any frostbite."

Bob, meanwhile, knows how fortunate he is. "I’m so thankful for my two heroes,” he said. “Kelsey kept me warm, alert and never stopped barking for help. Dr. Colen saved my life and ability to move. They are truly heroes and I will be eternally grateful."

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