22-05-2025
Federal Way man credits pet dragon ‘Spike' for saving them from a fire
Have we got a dragon of a tale for you — a Federal Way man credits his pet bearded dragon with saving his life.
'Spike,' the bearded dragon, was not about to get eaten by flames.
When fire broke out in his Federal Way apartment last Saturday, he used his tail like a whip to wake up his sleeping owner.
Spike's owner is counting his blessings.
He thinks his life was saved because he has more work to do. If so, he has his pet dragon to thank.
Donald Hale and his bearded dragon, Spike, are nearly inseparable. That likely saved both their lives last weekend.
'I witnessed a miracle right here laying on this couch,' Hale said. 'Because if my dragon don't wake me up, if he don't wake me up, I don't, I don't be here talking to y'all.'
Hale had just returned from a 13-mile run Saturday night when he took some melatonin and fell into a deep sleep. So, he didn't hear the two smoke alarms going off. Lucky for him, Spike was no sleeping dragon.
'Didn't no neighbor wake me up,' said Hale. 'Didn't no alarm wake me up. My dragon woke me up. Spike!'
To whip up this dragon's tale, Spike whipped Hale with his very long tail to wake him up. He discovered why when he went to the bathroom.
'When I opened the cabinet, from the pressure the smoke came out, the fire came out,' Hale said. 'I went in there and grabbed the, grabbed something to put the water in, came back, and put it out.'
He was asked how it happened. 'Someone poured something down the drain,' he said.
Now, Hale is thanking God and his wordless companion.
'He don't make no sound,' marveled Hale. 'He don't bark. He don't holler. But he made the loudest noise I ever heard that day in my life. By banging on my face.'
If I were an intrepid reporter, I would be holding that dragon. But he's in his cage inside.
Hale says he now plans to take Spike to the Grand Canyon as a thank-you trip for saving him something priceless — his life.
