Ketchikan has been through a challenging couple of weeks since Aug. 25, when a landslide tore through a residential neighborhood, killing one and destroying three homes. One of those homes belonged to Bill and James Montiver, who escaped with only minor injuries.
Their two beloved dogs, however, didn’t make it out. James and Bill feared the worst — until nearly a week later, when a fire crew pulled the pups from the wreckage unscathed. The Montivers sat down with KRBD’s Michael Fanelli to talk about what it’s like to have Cassie and Alani back in their laps.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity
Michael Fanelli: So I guess first of all, what’s it like to have your dogs back with you?
James Montiver: Oh, it was an amazing moment. [Ketchikan Fire Chief] Rick Hines had been through the house a couple days before and had walked through the entire house, or crawled through it, and they never made a sound. He didn’t even know they were there and he was there for over an hour. And then on Saturday, we had pretty much made the resolution that they either had escaped and were wandering in the never-never land or something had happened, and we basically said our internal goodbyes. But then Sunday morning, when the phone rang and the excitement, you could tell, it was just electric coming through the phone. It was literally night and day to get the kids back, because it was a bright spot, not only in our life, but in the entire community. Everybody has been so uplifted by the fact that these two little dogs were there for almost a week and have come out virtually [unharmed], other than a little PTSD, they’re still a little shock-shy. But they’ve come out basically in amazing condition.
MF: Yeah, as you’re telling that — you can’t not smile.
JM: I think it affected everybody, because it was a light in a pretty dark moment for everybody. I mean, those of us that have lost absolutely everything and and those that were impacted in one way or another, because there are a lot of different people that were impacted, but it was a positive moment for all of us, and very uplifting. I can’t tell you how many people we’ve talked to that that cried when they saw the report on the news. And the firefighters that were there, they were all just ecstatic themselves. You could see grins from ear to ear. It was a very, very uplifting moment for everybody.
MF: Yeah, it’s incredible. So you’re kind of local celebrities now too. You were on ABC with David Muir last night, what was that like?
JM: We’ve done NBC, ABC, ABC, CNN —
Bill Montiver: Multiple interviews with [Alaska’s News Source] in Anchorage.
JM: It’s been very good and very uplifting for us at the same time, because we know we’re very blessed first of all, that both of us made it out of there alive. Because if you look at the house, it used to be a three story house, and now it’s a very nice pancake. And the fact that we both made it out of there was our first blessing, and then to get the dogs was another one.
BM: The outside of the house, people that have driven by or been by, it looks like a two story home. However, the second floor crushed into the first floor, which crushed into where the basement used to be, because it slid off of the foundation. And I was actually trapped underground, about six feet under, with two different floors sitting on top of me. And the only thing that saved me was the dishwasher from Bosch. We have to throw that in, only because it’s our favorite [appliance]. And the fire people actually had to cut me out to get me out.
MF: Oh, wow, yeah I was going to ask what the process of getting out was like.
JM: So luckily, when the ceiling collapsed in on me, I had been on the sofa. And the house pitched forward, which threw me off of the sofa into the ceiling. And that’s where I dislocated my shoulder, tore all the tendons and cracked a couple of ribs. But I was okay because I landed on the floor in front of the sofa and the sofa acted as a wedge between the ceiling and the floor. So it gave me an 18 inch clearance space there. But that’s the same sofa that the dogs were on at the other end, and that’s where they found them. I was able to crawl out. I could see daylight, and so it took me a little while because of my shoulder, but it took me about 20 minutes to get out. But we’re okay. It’s not quite the position we want to be in at this age in our life, but we’re alive and that’s what’s important.
MF: So you guys were just hanging out at home when this happened, having a typical Sunday?
JM: Actually, we had just packed our last box. Our house was sold. We were moving to Puerto Rico on Monday, this last Monday. We had just packed the very last box, ready for AML to pick everything up on Monday. And I was walking up the stairs, and I told Bill, I said, “You know, I’m really gonna miss this house. I really love it.” And 20 minutes later, all heck broke loose. I mean, we had absolutely no idea. So literally everything in our life is now gone. We didn’t even make it out with shoes on.
MF: Well, getting back to the dogs, to end on a happier note, when I first heard this I thought, “How do dogs survive for a week?”
JM: We have no idea. Even the vet –
BM: We asked the vet the same question.
JM: She’s the best, Island to Island, they’re just wonderful, and they’ve taken care of our dogs the entire time we’ve lived here. And she was amazed. She said the same thing. I mean, they’ve lost a couple of pounds each. They’re little, small dogs — they only weigh 10, 12 pounds anyway. They had each lost two pounds, but I mean they were running around, they were pleasant, they were fun, they weren’t cowering or anything like that.
MF: They must have been hungry.
JM: They were.
MF: But otherwise in good health?
JM: Oh, excellent health.
MF: That’s great. Well thanks so much for taking the time to talk today, guys. I really appreciate it.
JM: You’re welcome.
BM: Certainly.
The Montivers have a Gofundme as well as a disaster relief account at First Bank. The Ketchikan Gateway Borough has compiled a list of donation accounts and ways to help residents affected by the Aug. 25 landslide.
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