‘I can’t get another Bear’: Good Samaritans help reunite man with dog after carjacking

KSHB, FAMILY PHOTOS, FACEBOOK, CNN

By Ryan Gamboa

Click here for updates on this story

    BELTON, Missouri (KSHB) — On Saturday night, Alex Bell and his four-legged companion, Bear, stopped for a routine maintenance check on their car at the Belton, Missouri, QuikTrip.

“It was just a few seconds,” Bell said. “Somebody stole my car with my dog in it.”

Bear, a 3-year-old German Shepard, is Bell’s right-hand man.

The two have been together for about 2 1/2 years.

“He’s just like any other member of the family. He means a lot to us,” he said.

Bell did all he could on Saturday night to get Bear back.

He recalled bending down to put air in his tire when the car door opened and shut.

Bell grabbed onto the door handle as tightly as he could as the car was moving away.

“I did everything I could because I wanted to get Bear, but the door handle’s broke and it scraped me up,” Bell said.

The unknown driver took off in the parking lot with Bell hanging on.

“When I fell, all I could do was scream for help,” he said.

That cry for help was sheer panic.

The Belton Police Department responded to the scene along with paramedics.

With some minor road rash injuries across his body, Bell searched all night once he was discharged from the hospital.

“I got home and saw his bone and his rope on the couch, and I just immediately started breaking down because I knew that’s where he’s supposed to be,” Bell said. “You must give it your all when you’re trying to find your best friend.”

With a sleepless night ahead, Bell’s mom, Tammy, took to Facebook, posting a cry for help.

The original Facebook post, which has since been updated, garnered 1,000 shares across numerous community groups.

The support was massive, but there was no sign of Bear for about 20 hours.

“This morning, there was a big surprise,” Rob Zahl told KSHB 41 on Sunday afternoon. “It was one of those golden rule moments.”

Zahl and his family are two weeks new to Kansas City.

He and his family just moved to Hyde Park.

Following a long Independence Day weekend with family, Zahl and his daughter, Mia, were grabbing LaMar’s Donuts at 34th and Main in Kansas City, Missouri.

“I saw a dog all alone, and I had to stop,” Zahl said. “Two weeks before, we lost our dog, Rex, for about 24 hours. I felt the same emotions stir up, and I just wanted to help.”

Zahl and Mia spent some time trying to lure the unknown dog into their car.

Nicole Nudelman, a medical student at Kansas City University, was also grabbing donuts. The dog was more than willing to get into her car.

“I can’t really take care of a dog with an apartment, so I asked Rob if they could take him,” she said. “This was a trust your instincts kind of moment. I knew there was a reason I was willing to help.”

The three went back toward Zahl’s home, where they gave water and hot dogs to the canine.

After a short time, they discovered some social media posts circulating from Bell’s mom.

They learned Bear’s name and called, “Where’s grandma?” per the Facebook post to see if it was the same pet.

“His ears perked up,” Zahl said.

The Zalhs packed up Bear and took him to the Belton Police Department, where Bell was reunited with his best friend.

“I never had a chance to meet the people that dropped him off, but I’d love to meet them and take them to a meal,” Bell said. “It’s been an amazing feeling to see the community come together to find Bear. He’s somebody I can’t replace. A car is one thing, but Bear is irreplaceable. If it wasn’t for the great people of Kansas City, he’d still be out there scared.”

Bear and Bell enjoyed the air conditioning from home together on Sunday evening.

Bell told KSHB 41 police believe they have located his vehicle.

KSHB 41 reached out to the Belton Police Department to learn more about the investigation, but it did not have staff in the building that was able to elaborate.

The Belton Police Department spokesperson told KSHB 41 they can release more information on Monday.

As for the three good Samaritans, they learned a lot about themselves and even made some new friends along the way.

“The stars aligned perfectly,” Nudelman said. “I think Bear is pretty brave for finding us.”

Zahl said the message for his new community is to follow your instincts.

“Don’t be afraid to do the right thing. If it comes from the heart, if it comes from the soul, it’s a good notion,” he said. “We have kids and we want to show them the right things to do. We’re passing on information for the next generation.”

Bell’s mom, Tammy, told KSHB 41 on the phone that her faith in humanity has been restored because of the outpouring of support shown over the weekend.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.