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[1] With all the devastation, it is so wonderful to be able to share some good news. Look at Athena, she was Swept Away by floodwaters but survived.
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[2] She's waiting on her family to get here to the Washington County Johnson City animal shelter. They'll be here any minute, but before we talk about the reunion, let's take a look at how we got here.
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[3] He turned my head to the window, and said "We have to go." And I saw the road was flooded with water.
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[4] Allie and T.J. Faulkner live in Jonesborough Tennessee along the Nolichucky river, when they realized how fast the water was rising on Friday, they rushed their kids to his parents house.
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[5] T.J. heading back with his dad to try to rescue their pets, but it was too late. - We took the front end loader, and we put it up against a building, and climbed up on a building.
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[7] A bunch of debris pushed up against my front porch, and it was metal steel beams, it just collapsed my front porch, and when it done that it just pushed my house, and it just floated, it floated like an ark.
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[8] The family's pets still inside, T.J. certain he'd never see them again, then Wednesday evening this video surfaced on social media. - I was weeping, I was laughing, I was so happy.
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[9] The Kingsport Fire Department and a Murfreesboro Police Department K9 team discovered Athena in a tree, with floodwaters in the area receding, she was now 20 ft off the ground.
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[10] The BloodHound was walking, and just started going crazy, and I just happened to look up in the tree and you know like you know "Oh my god there a dog."
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[11] Athena sitting there quietly as the rescuers raced to dig out a damaged ladder from the debris. - So I climbed up there, and I gave her a little bit more food, and kind of just made sure she wasn't going to nip at me.
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[12] And she was probably the sweetest dog I've ever met in my life, she went to everyone that was down there, and was rubbing all over them and she was thanking us.
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[13] Athena's heroes taking her to the shelter where Thursday morning, she was reunited with her family. - Like to thank all of you all, you put a lot at the end of her tunnel⁽¹⁾, and I appreciate it.
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[14] The Faulkner say "Despite all they have lost, they're feeling grateful, they have each other, and Athena now back safely in their arms."
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[15] "It's like another member of our family, she's like another child, she means a lot to us." - In Johnson City Tennessee, Rebecca Pepin, News 5 WCYB.