Woman reunited with dog days after rollover crash on I-95 – NBC 6 South Florida

Debbie Dawson said she was driving north in the express lane of Interstate 95 on Saturday while traffic was at a standstill in the regular lanes when she saw a car cross the cones directly in front of her.

“I saw her car coming and I just thought, 'I'm going to die,' and honestly, that's all I remember,” she said. “And then all I remember is waking up in my mid-95s.”

Dawson said she blacked out on impact and later learned her car rolled four times. The impact shattered her windows and caused her beloved puppy, a 15-month-old black Labrador named Moose, to run away.

Her first instinct was to run after him, but a witness stopped her out of concern for her injuries.

“I didn't care. I didn't think about myself, I could only think about him,” said Dawson, visibly moved.

Miraculously, she was taken to hospital with only minor injuries.

But Moose remained missing for days. Although he normally carries an Apple AirTag, it came loose in the crash, meaning his family couldn't find him.

“We were driving around shortly after we finished searching, it was lightning and thunder and started to rain and knowing that this guy was out there, it was horrific,” said Corey Dawson, Debbie's husband.

Dawson's children distributed leaflets on social media in the hope that someone would discover him.

“I, like my dad, got calls in the middle of the night from people wanting to join in and give us tips and tricks,” said her son Walker Dawson.

On Tuesday they received the call they had been waiting for.

Moose was found hiding in the bushes next to the highway about a mile from the accident scene. His paw pads were sore from walking on the hot asphalt and he was traumatized and scared, but otherwise OK.

Oakland Park firefighters, who were on the scene that day, helped bring him home.

“They promised me they would find him and they did. I can't thank them enough for all their work and dedication and for not giving up. They all deserve medals,” said Debbie, while Moose was now dozing contentedly on the sofa between her and her husband.

The Dawsons are grateful that their family is complete again, overwhelmed by the support and now have a message for the drivers.

“Because a lot of lives have been changed by this, the conclusion I have is this: If you just pay attention when you're driving, you'll see what reality looks like,” said Corey Dawson.

The Dawsons told NBC6 they are still waiting for an accident report from the Florida Highway Patrol.