Capital High alum suffers burns after trying to rescue dogs from scalding hot spring

A former Olympia resident and Capital High School graduate is recovering at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle from burns suffered when he jumped into a scalding hot spring in Eastern Idaho to rescue his two dogs.

The dogs, both Labradors, eventually died, said Alden McCormick of Olympia, who contacted The Olympian on Tuesday afternoon to share the story about his brother Paden, 29, and what happened last week near Salmon, Idaho.

Paden was flown to Harborview at midnight Thursday, Alden McCormick said.

McCormick gave the following account:

Paden and his wife, Katie, were hiking near Big Creek Hot Spring when the couple’s two dogs jumped into the spring and began to burn to death. Paden jumped in to rescue them, but one dog was too severely burned. He was able to rescue the second dog, but it too eventually died.

Meanwhile, Paden suffered second- and third-degree burns over half of his body from the waist down and from his hands to his elbows, Alden said.

After Paden got out of the water, his wife helped him to a trailhead where he was helped by what is thought to have been some U.S. Forest Service personnel. They dressed his burns before he was flown to Harborview.

Paden is expected to spend 40 to 50 days at Harborview, Alden McCormick said.

Paden remains in serious condition, a Harborview nursing supervisor said Tuesday.

The family has set up a Go Fund Me page.

This story was originally published August 25, 2015 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Capital High alum suffers burns after trying to rescue dogs from scalding hot spring."