SUNDERLAND’S Luke O’Nien helped save the life of a dog who got into difficulties on a North East beach this week.
The popular defender, who has been at the club for more than five years, spotted the elderly Labrador in trouble on a beach near Sunderland on Thursday night.
Sunderland star Luke O’Nien has saved a dog from drowningRex
Eyewitnesses said he rushed over to help resuscitate the dog which was swimming in the sea when it had to be rescued by its owner after becoming overwhelmed by waves.
Passers-by described a man running over to help the woman owner as she tried to drag her pet out of the sea.
Once out of the water, O’Nien began pumping the dog’s chest until it coughed up seawater and started to breathe again.
The incident was widely shared on social media and O’Nien, who is set to start against Coventry City in the Championship tomorrow, was identified by a number of supporters.
Fan Jeff Gowland said on X (Formerly Twitter) : “Down beach tonight with dog and watched a lad save the life of an elderly Labrador that had what I thought drowned, after going under whilst swimming and been pulled out by women owner,
“Lad ran over to help and kept pumping dogs chest until it coughed up loads of sea water, eventually it came round and got to its feet, young lad was Luke O’Nien.
“Take a bow son, brilliant job what a genuinely lovely fella, much respect, don’t think the few people who where there realised who you were.”
It is not the first time O’Nien, 28, has earned praise from fans for acts of kindness.
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The former Wycombe Wanderers and Watford utility player came to the aid of a stricken motorist on the A19 just days before Sunderland’s game against Middlesbrough.
Sarah Whitaker and her two young kids had already waited nearly two hours on a grass verge, after suffering a flat tyre, waiting for the recovery truck, when O’Nien arrived to offer some moral support and keep them company.
Sunderland fans are well aware of the gem they have on their hands and some of them have give him a hilarious new chant following his latest heroics.
O’Nien could be hearing the new song being chanted at him this weekend when The Black Cats face Coventry.
Fans could start singing: “He’ll shoot, he’ll score, he’ll save your Labrador. Luke O’Nien.”