Shelter Me: How the story of a special needs senior dog helped save 2 lives

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- At the beginning of October, Meteorologist Cecily Tynan, received several messages from a viewer asking her to feature a special needs senior husky, named Zoey, on Action News' Shelter Me segment.

Understanding that Zoey's case was urgent, 6abc Editor Lee Anne Kayati squeezed her into our schedule that same week.

By that Friday, we were doing a rare double feature.

Little did we know, that exception would not only save Zoey's life but it would also save the life of Zoey's rescuer.

October 4 was the last time that 6abc viewers saw Toni Daniels, from 3 Husketeers Rescue, and the first time Caron Dzermajko saw Zoey, the rescue in need of a home.

Dzermajko, from Sicklerville, New Jersey, says she always watches 6abc and saw Cecily with Zoey.

She thought Zoey was beautiful.

After talking to her boyfriend, Dzermajko decided they wanted to try to adopt Zoey, filling out the application the next day.

Daniels says she was looking for a very specific person.

"Caron's application was exactly what I was looking for. It was literally a perfect match," said Daniels.

And that match would wind up changing the course of everyone's lives.

Soon, Daniels and Dzermajko were making plans to make the introduction, on October 9.

What happened next was something neither of them could have anticipated.

Just minutes after Dzermajko arrived to Daniels' Spring City house, Daniels started to feel something that really scared her.

"I instantly didn't feel well, I felt sick to my stomach, I felt dizzy, I have never felt like that before," said Daniels.

Daniels has a Ring camera inside her home to keep an eye on the rescues.

It captured how fast things escalated.

Moments after they met, Dzermajko was calling 911 for an ambulance.

Seconds later, Daniels was on the floor.

Dzermajko sat by Daniels, coaching her to breathe and holding her hand.

Within 12 minutes, the paramedics arrived.

"They were checking my vitals, but everything was normal," said Daniels.

But things were not normal, Daniels was in the midst of something called a STEMI heart attack.

That's the most severe type of heart attack a person can experience.

Daniels tells us she lost consciousness twice on the stretcher.

After Daniels was wheeled away by the paramedics, Dzermajko stayed to take care of the rescue dogs and wait for Daniels' husband to return.

A couple hours and two surgical stents later, Daniels called Dzermajko.

"I was like you saved my life, I just couldn't stop saying it because she saved my life. Had she not been here, I wouldn't be here. Had you shown up 15 minutes later, I wouldn't have been able to answer the door," said Daniels to Dzermajko.

And in the end, things came full circle when Dzermajko left Daniels' house with Zoey forever part of her family, and Daniels, forever a friend.

"You know, we rescued these dogs, but they in turn rescue us. You know, Zoey, she saved my life. Everything happens for a reason. I'm a big believer in that," said Daniels.

"Everything happens for a reason," said Dzermajko.

Daniels says the incident ultimately changed her life for the better, by forcing her to slow down.

She is now in cardio rehab, and is looking for volunteers to help 3 Husketeers with their mission while she recovers.

You can find more information here.