We’re used to hearing about how K-9 officers go to great lengths to help their human partners, but now, I’m sharing a story where the opposite is true.
In January 2023, an EF-3 tornado ripped through Deer Park and Pasadena, leaving behind a path of destruction.
While the tornado swept across the Houston area, the Deer Park police department’s officer Nitchman put his life on the line by running into the tornado. He did this to save his furry partner that was stuck in his kennel in the squad car.
This is their heartwarming story…
Nowhere Without Roni
Narcotics K-9 Roni, and officer Joel Nitchman have been partners ever since 2018.
Officer Nitchman told the KHOU 11 News that Roni had put himself in harm’s way for him countless times before, so this time, when Roni was in danger, he didn’t hesitate even for a second.
This dynamic duo surely has many stories to share, but this recent one has quickly gone viral and immediately won the hearts of people around the world.
On that particular day, they had just returned to the police station, following their training session, when the wind began to gust. A tornado-bearing storm was quickly in full force, destroying everything before it.
K-9 Roni was in his kennel in the patrol unit.
“I’ll never forget the noise. That’s when I knew that it was a big tornado,” Nitchman told KHOU 11. “The thought of debris, or the car flipping over, you know, I couldn’t do that to him. I couldn’t have him out there during that.”
Their line of duty is often very dangerous, and although this wasn’t their usual danger, including explosives or gun fire, the K-9’s life was still seriously threatened.
The surveillance camera outside the police station captured officer Nithcman running through the tornado and lightning to his patrol unit to save his best friend.
The visibility was very poor, and there were things flying around, hitting his face. But, soon it was about to get much worse for both the officer and his K-9.
“Once I went around the car is when all heck broke loose,” Nitchman said.
The wind and rain were so strong that it was almost impossible to get Roni out of the car.
“I could barely open his door. When I did, he’s a smart dog, he saw what was going around outside, and he was like, ‘I’m not coming out’,” Nitchman recounted.
At this point, the visibility was almost down to zero around them, and even on the surveillance footage, you could only see the gray tornado passing through.
“I was, like, coaxing him, ‘Come on, buddy. Let’s go,’” officer said.
A couple of seconds later, the pair could be seen running together inside the police station, but the front door was almost blocked by a fence that was destroyed in the tornado.
“I have never been through anything like that before,” Nitchman said.
Thankfully, the pair was able to go inside the police station and wait until this nightmare passed.
“I love that dog. He’s my hip attachment almost every day of the week. He’s part of our family. You can’t leave a loved one like that. There was no way I was gonna leave him like that,” Nitchman said, adding that he would do it again in a heartbeat.
One week after this all happened, the video that the surveillance camera captured went viral, and people started praising officer Nitchman for putting his life on the line to save his best friend and partner.
“I’m just so grateful he’s OK. Any handler would have done the same for their K-9 partner,” said officer Joel Nitchman.
K-9 officers are a very important part of every police department, but they are also much more than that… a K-9 is a highly-trained police individual, but also a family member, pet, and a handler’s best friend.
They deserve the world, and hopefully, both K-9 Roni and his handler, officer Nitchman, will have many more years on the force safe and sound.
