This man rescued a dying dog during a fishing trip — seven years later, that selfless act made him the face of a popular TV show

A man out on a fishing trip in a foreign country was heartbroken when he saw an emaciated dog wandering on a small patch of land in the middle of the ocean. He called out, hoping the dog’s owner was nearby, but no one answered, confirming his worst fear. The dog was left to die on an isolated island without any food or water. He figured taking the furry pal back to the shore with him would give him another chance at life. Seven years later, the selfless act helped him conquer his dreams, becoming the face of a popular TV show.  

Wesley White from Idaho Falls was an animal lover, and his conscience would not allow him to look away from the dog’s compromised state. Instead, he went against the odds to rescue him, thinking of the pup’s bright future ahead. White was working on a fishing trip in Belize when he discovered the stray dog in an abandoned fishing shack in 2018. “Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his tail wagging,” the man explained in an interview with The Dodo (@thedodo). He was originally on Thatch Caye and kayaked down to a nearby island, Ragamuffin Caye, where the dog’s condition broke his heart.  

White reached out to the dog named Winston and realized the dog was just “waiting for a human to show up.” He grabbed an old pair of swim trunks to get hold of the dog and transport him to the kayak. The duo rowed back to the shore, where White received all the help he needed from the kind locals. “I’m in a foreign country. I have like 36 hours until I leave this country,” he thought to himself while heading back in the kayak. He wished everything would turn out the way he’d imagined and take the poor dog back home safe, to Montana.  

Back at the mainland in Dangria, Belize, White took Winston to the vet, where he was admitted for a few days until he recovered. Unfortunately, the circumstances forced White to leave the dog back at the vet with Dr. Mia and head back to the airport. Meanwhile, the dog’s health reports came back fine, and he was sent to a foster home with Melanie of the Humane Society of Belize. White was constantly updated about Winston’s progress before it was finally time for the dog he’d rescued from an abandoned shack to head home to the U.S. White, with his photography skills, documented the entire rescue that turned him into a famous personality. 

Major outlets covered the heartwarming rescue story, and it gave White the professional leap he was waiting for. “I’ve done interviews all around the world about Winston’s rescue, in dozens and dozens of countries,” he said, per East Idaho News. His work and love for the outdoors impressed host and producer Steve West of Steve’s Outdoor Adventures, a popular show within the hunting community for its global hunting expeditions and expertise. It has been on air for 18 seasons for four days a week on Sportsman Channel. West has hunted and guided all over the world for over 25 years, making him a notable figure in North & South American big game hunting, per the official site for Steve Hunts. Noting White's skills, he offered the photographer his own show, Fishing With Wesley, an offshoot that premiered in July this year. From an unexpected rescue to a life of stardom, White has come a long way while also providing a safe and loving home for his beloved pet.