One Year Later- Many Happy Returns
By Sandy Vondrasek Cooch

Here's a news update that'll bring a smile.
It's a follow-up report on the Herald's March 2, 2006 story about the dramatic rescue of a woman and a
dog, both of whom had fallen through the ice of the White River in Stockbridge.
Luckily for Diane Brunner of Colorado and an English springer spaniel named Trevor, a Whitcomb High
School junior, en route to a midday basketball practice during his February vacation, came by at just the
right moment.
Cody Griffin, a 17-year-old varsity guard, initially stopped when he saw a distressed Brunner standing on
River Road. Her friend's dog had just fallen through the ice.
(It is germane to this update to note that the friend Brunner was visiting was David Newman of Stockbridge.
Brunner and Newman, high school sweethearts in the late 1960s, had been out of touch for 37
years. At the time of the March, 2006 rescue, Brunner was newly arrived in Vermont, for a trial reunion.)
Griffin, clad in his basketball practice clothes, tried to coax Newman's dog ashore. Then, as the dog began
to go under, Brunner panicked, went out on the ice to get him, and fell through herself.
Griffin stepped out on the ice- knowing that there was a deep pool at the spot- and managed to pull out
both Brunner and Trevor to safety. One of his feet went through the ice.
After making sure the pair made it back to Newman's home, Griffin went on to his practice. He didn't even
tell anyone what had happened, until the coach asked why his shooting was off. Griffin attributed it to his
cold and wet foot; he didn't even have a change of socks on hand.
Much has happened in the 15 months since then.
Accolades and awards have poured in for Cody Griffin, commencing last March with a "Commanders Citation"
award from state police, presented at a Bethel Rotary Club meeting.
According to Penny Griffin, Cody's mom, a month later, the Vermont Senate passed Resolution 63 SCR63,
which congratulated him and was entered into the legislature's permanent record.
Then, in June of 2006, came an "Animal Kingdom Kindred Spirit Award & Animal Champion Pin" from
the Doris Day Animal Foundation,
Gov. Jim Douglas, in January of this year, sent Griffin a letter, commending him "in the Highest Possible
Terms for his Quick Actions" saving Brunner's life.
Then the big one arrived, without forewarning. In the mail this past March came a $5000 grant from the
Carnegie Hero Fund, with a bronze medal and pin arriving a month later.
The sizeable medal- about 2.5 inches across- is inscribed to Cody James Griffin and notes the essentials
of the rescue.
"It's an awesome medal," Penny Griffin said this week.
Cody Griffin, still a modest and matter-of-fact guy, graduates from WHS in two weeks. He has been accepted
at Vermont Technical College, but has decided to defer admission for a year, his mom said.
Penny Griffin added that her son never talks about the rescue, but that she gets a few new details every time
she talks to Brunner.
Brunner provided a few more details this week when she called Penny Griffin to say that she and Newman
plan to be married this weekend.
Brunner called The Herald with the news, as well. Their relationship, Brunner said, has continued to deepen
in the past year.
"Everything is the same as when we were teenagers: We are just as in love as we were then, I think even
more now, because we are adults," she said.
"We blend," Brunner added. "We just blend."
Brunner said she has been Vermont since last winter, going back to Colorado only to close out her affairs
there and bring back her possessions.
Brunner, amazingly, also owned an English springer spaniel, just like Newman, and her dog was one of the
prized possessions she brought to Vermont. Sadly that dog was killed in a road accident, but Newman and
Brunner have since gotten another, young dog, also a springer spaniel.
Sunday's wedding ceremony, she said, will be at Bethel's Peavine Park, just a mile or so downstream from
the Newman/Brunner home and from the site of last year's rescue.