Brian Myers never expected a shelter dog to repay the favor when he rescued her life in September.

Sadie, a 6-year-old German shepherd, was surrendered to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge in New Jersey last summer. The senior dog appeared bewildered and disoriented at the shelter.

The shelter workers could tell Sadie was a devoted and highly intelligent dog, but her fear of males and protective attitude made finding her a new home difficult.

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“[She was] a bit standoffish when she first came and she wasn’t sure what was going on,” Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge front office manager Heather Centrella told The Dodo. “She got a little shut-down in the shelter, so we thought she’d require an experienced home with someone patient.”

Brian Myers arrived into the shelter a month later and instantly recognized Sadie. He promised to change his ways after finding she had troubles with guys.

“I had a feeling she was a terrific dog and chose to adopt her within the first 30 minutes,” Myers posted on Facebook. “She jumped into my car and we’ve developed a strong bond. I was able to work through the issues she had and committed to giving her the home and love she deserved.”

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Myers and Sadie became best buddies and extremely close. However, a few months later, Sadie was on the verge of losing her family for the second time.

Myers and Sadie were alone at home one night when he had a stroke. Sadie refused to leave her father’s side when Myers slumped on the ground. She licked his face to keep him awake and screamed to tell the neighbors that something was seriously wrong.

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Myers couldn’t stand, so Sadie felt it was her responsibility to bring her father to safety. When Myers grabbed Sadie’s collar, the devoted dog knew just what to do: she proceeded to drag him across the room to his phone.

“She understood I was in danger and upset,” Myers explained. “I grabbed her collar, and she realized she had to help me get the help I needed. [She] began to pull with all her might. I was able to move across the floor to fetch my phone with her assistance.”

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Myers is now out of the hospital and in a rehabilitation facility, where he is attempting to recover. Sadie is living with her father’s relatives while he is abroad, anxiously down the minutes till she can see him again.

“They use FaceTime, which he said she’s confused about because she wants to talk to her dad and she cries,” Centrella explained. “However, he promises her that he is doing everything he can to come back to her as quickly as possible so they may be reunited.”

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Myers believes that by sharing his tale, people will see how amazing shelter dogs can be. He never gave up on Sadie, and she never gave up on him, even at his darkest hour.

“I miss her so much and can’t wait to see her and love her even more than I do now,” Myers said. “I promise to give her the best life possible, and I will never forget her commitment and heroism on that terrifying night.”