‘God does miracles.’ Macon families cope with lost dog, house damage after storm
Tree limbs broke through roofs and a puppy likely got lost during a gusty storm Thursday morning in west Macon.
A local family rescued Dexter, a 10-month-old brown pitbull-mix, and another pup only about a month ago, according to Jodie Boggess, a family-friend. The family wasn’t home during the storm.
“The two are bonded. I just find it hard to believe that that Dexter, the one that’s missing, wouldn’t have come back, just because they’re so connected,” Boggess said.
Once the storm cleared, Boggess walked into the Marathon gas station at 6199 Thomaston Road, near the family’s house, and asked the manager if he’d seen the stray, but to no avail.
“I know God does miracles,” Boggess said. “So maybe he’s just kind of hanging out, hunkered down somewhere and just kind of waiting for it to calm down.”
Dogs may experience Thunderstorm Aversion, or significant fear or anxiety during storms, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine.
Mahlon McLean lives near where Dexter got loose, in a neighborhood that was struck hard by fallen trees and power lines.
A pine tree crashed through the roof of McLean’s wooden house. Wind gusts were forecasted to reach 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
“The water was coming in just on that end of the house,” McLean said. “All the racks with all the clothes got knocked down, but we were safe and that’s the important thing.”
Traffic was blocked by patrol vehicles and Georgia Power crews as they repaired power lines and removed trees from traffic in the neighborhood off Thomaston Road, behind the Marathon gas station.
“Hey we’re safe... None of our stuff in the house was hurt,” McLean said.
Visual journalist Katie Tucker assisted with reporting.
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 4:45 PM.
