By Rolf Boone
The Olympian
CHALLIS, Idaho — A former Olympia resident and Capital High School graduate is recovering at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle from burns suffered when he jumped in to a scalding hot spring in Eastern Idaho to rescue his two dogs.
The dogs, both labradors, eventually died, said Alden McCormick of Olympia, who contacted The Olympian on Tuesday afternoon to share the story about his brother, Paden, 29, and what happened last Thursday near Salmon, Idaho.
Paden was flown to Harborview midnight Thursday, Alden McCormick said.
McCormick gave the following account:
Paden and his wife, Katie, were hiking in the Salmon, Idaho-area near a hot spring when the couple’s two dogs jumped into the spring and began to burn to death. Paden jumped into rescue them, but one dog quickly was too far gone, while he was able to rescue the second dog. It eventually died.
Meanwhile, Paden suffered second-and-third-degree burns over 50 percent of his body from the waist down and from his hands to his elbows, Alden said.
After Paden got out of the water, his wife helped him to a trail head where he was thought to have been helped by some forest service personnel. They dressed his burns before he was flown to Harborview.
Paden is expected to spend 40 to 50 days at Harborview, or about a day for each percent of burns on his body, Alden said.
Paden remains in serious condition, a Harborview nursing supervisor said Tuesday.
(c)2015 The Olympian