H3CZ saves family puppy from drowning in swimming pool

Calum Patterson

Former OpTic Gaming CEO Hector ‘H3CZ’ Rodriguez has shared a heroic episode of him saving a young puppy from potential drowning, after the pet jumped into his backyard pool.

Outside of his love for video games and esports, H3CZ is a dog lover too, with he and wife Jude proudly showing off their litter of canine friends in many of their vlogs.

Among them is great dane Henry, who stands almost as tall as a grown man, and who Hector loves to show off in his videos. But, he takes care of dogs in all shapes and sizes, including his mother-in-law’s tiny puppy, with whom the potentially dangerous incident occurred.

Twitter: @H3CZH3CZ with his dog Henry.

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On January 3, Rodriguez explained that he had been looking after the “baby” puppy, who, as well as being the “cutest thing ever”, had never seen much of the world outside of a cage.

While playing in the garden with the other dogs, the puppy, named Yusimi, seemed to get a little overexcited, and lunged into the pool, before presumably flapping for dear life.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Hector dived in, fully clothed, to come to the dog’s rescue, hoisting her above the cold water while now completely drenched.

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“I’m a hero,” he proclaimed, before also thanking his wife Jude for saving both their lives with prompt towels to dry off and warm up.

Although it might be presumed that dogs, even puppies, would naturally ‘doggie paddle’ in water, the temperature of the water can be a major issue. H3CZ explained that Yusimi was already far out and submerged by almost a foot.

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Like humans, dogs can be vulnerable to cold water shock, leaving them stiff and unable to swim, or even worse, prolonged exposure to cold water could lead to hypothermia.

Even larger dogs can be vulnerable in water if the temperature is too low.

Small breeds and puppies are even more vulnerable to cold water exposure. Typically, it’s advised that if water is too cold for a human, it’s probably also too cold for a dog. Even on warmer days, the water temperature can still be low.

Jude may indeed have been a lifesaver with the towels too, as it’s crucial to dry a dog off immediately if they have taken a dip in cold water, as the dampness mixed with the air could also lead to hypothermia.

H3CZ’s quick thinking and sacrificing his dry clothing may well have saved this puppy’s life, and serves as a PSA to any other dog owners.

He’s not the only dog lover at the helm of esports either. Envy founder and CEO Mike ‘Hastr0’ Rufial made a large donation to a charity for service dogs in late 2019.

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About The Author

Calum is Dexerto's Managing Editor, based in Scotland. Joining Dexerto in 2017, Calum has years of experience covering esports, gaming and online entertainment, and now leads the team to deliver the best coverage in these areas. An expert on all things Twitch and gaming influencers, he's also an expert in popular shooters like Apex Legends, CS2 and Call of Duty. You can contact Calum at calum.patterson@dexerto.com.