Judd Bronson

Judd Bronson rescued Tara Vreeland from drowning, Windsor, Colorado, January 27, 2025. Vreeland, 41, was walking her two golden retriever dogs near a partially ice-covered pond when one of the dogs ran after geese out onto the ice and fell into a 45-foot diameter area of open water about 150 feet from the bank. Vreeland ran onto the ice after the dog, and while on her stomach attempting to retrieve it from the frigid water, her other dog jumped onto her back, causing both her and the second dog to break through the ice. While walking on a nearby trail, Bronson, 52, chiropractor, heard faint calls for help, then moans, and saw the two dogs and Vreeland struggling to stay afloat. Bronson removed his winter coat, jumped over a short, barb-wired fence near the walking trail to gather three large sticks, jumped back over the fence, and ran to the edge of the pond. Bronson called out for a bystander to call 911 before he began to walk approximately 75 feet out onto the ice. As the ice became thinner, Bronson proceeded to get down on his stomach, using the sticks underneath him to help distribute his weight, and crawled the remaining 75 feet to the unfrozen section of the pond. After realizing that Vreeland was unresponsive and unable to grab onto the stick he was holding out to her, Bronson hooked the stick into the hood of her parka and pulled her toward him. The dogs followed, and while holding onto Vreeland with one arm, Bronson was able to pull both of the dogs by their collars atop the ice. Bronson then was able to repeatedly slide backward a few feet while pulling Vreeland until she was completely out of the water. He then dragged her across the ice to the bank, where first-responders were waiting. Vreeland was taken to the hospital with a body temperature of 83 degrees; she recovered. Bronson was exhausted and cold as a result of the rescue but was otherwise uninjured.

2025-0000068-10559