Missing Teen Was Lost For 3-Days Until a Special Dog Made a Miracle Happen

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Bloodhound Rescues Missouri Teen After 80 Hours Trapped in Ravine

Fourteen-year-old Cody Trenkle’s summer took a devastating turn when a skateboard accident left him stranded in a steep ravine near Goose Creek Lake, Missouri. What could have ended in tragedy became a story of survival and hope, thanks to an extraordinary rescue led by a six-year-old bloodhound named Daryl.

On July 27, Cody tumbled more than 240 feet into dense, unforgiving terrain. For nearly 80 hours, his family, first responders, and volunteers searched frantically, but the thick brush and dangerous drop made progress nearly impossible. With time slipping away, Cody’s mother, Stephanie Neely, placed her faith in the K-9 team from the Farmington Correctional Center. She handed Daryl one of Cody’s worn shoes and prayed he could succeed where so many had struggled.

The result was nearly miraculous. Within 20 minutes, Daryl locked onto the trail and pressed forward, navigating steep inclines and thick underbrush. Lt. Joe Gillam, who leads the K-9 team, later called the feat astonishing. “Twenty minutes on a three-day-old track—that’s almost unheard of,” he said, visibly emotional. At the bottom of the ravine, Daryl located Cody lying in shallow water, gravely injured but alive.

Cody was airlifted to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, where doctors discovered a severe brain bleed, pneumonia, deep lacerations, and other complications. He was placed in a medically induced coma for 11 days while his body began the slow process of healing. For his family, it was an agonizing wait, but Cody eventually stabilized and was released after a month in the hospital.

When Cody returned to school, he finally got the chance to meet Daryl face-to-face. Kneeling beside the bloodhound, his gratitude was clear. “If I’d had to spend a couple more hours down there, I wouldn’t have made it. But because of him, 20 minutes, man, I’m impressed,” he said, his voice filled with admiration for his unlikely hero. His mother wept as she watched the moment unfold, overwhelmed by the bond between her son and the dog who saved him.

Cody still faces a long recovery, with doctors estimating it could take six months to a year for his head injury and liver complications to fully heal. Yet his determination remains strong. “Just got to get the head healed, and then I’m Cody again,” he said with a smile.

The Missouri Department of Corrections has since honored Daryl and the K-9 team with medals and recognition for their lifesaving work. For Cody, his family, and everyone touched by this story, the reunion was more than a celebration—it was proof of the extraordinary instinct, training, and loyalty of a dog who refused to give up.