On March 24, 2026, Jessica Johnston fell approximately 55 metres (180 feet) at a waterfall on the Arahura River, on the rugged West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Emergency rescuers airlifted her out with bruises and lacerations — but in the difficult terrain, her border collie Molly could not be found and had to be left behind.
Matt Newton, owner-operator of Precision Helicopters New Zealand — a company based near Hokitika Gorge, not far from where Molly had last been seen — refused to let that be the end of the story. He contacted Jessica in hospital and told her he would go looking. When he realised the cost of a proper aerial search would be significant — roughly NZ$50 (approximately US$28) per minute of flying time — he launched a crowdfunding campaign.
Within eight hours, strangers across New Zealand had donated more than NZ$11,500 (around US$6,300). It was enough to fund three additional hours of flight, along with thermal imaging equipment to scan the dense wilderness below.
On March 31, Newton took to the skies with a team that included volunteer Wayne Holmes, his dog Bingo, and a veterinary nurse. Using the thermal camera, they spotted Molly within an hour — bedraggled and hungry but alive, just metres from where Jessica had fallen. Holmes climbed out of the helicopter, with Bingo helping to coax Molly calmly to safety.
Back at the helicopter base, the rest of the volunteer search team had been waiting anxiously for news. When it came through, they celebrated the only way that felt right. "Instead we just had a big barbecue and all had a cuddle with Molly," Newton reported. Hours later, still recovering from her injuries, Jessica arrived for a tearful reunion — Molly jumping up to lick her face. Newton summed up what everyone was thinking: having her dog back, he said, would surely speed up her healing.