Best of FPF: Buster Brown’s Incredible Journey

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2025 by Susannah • 1 comment

After a marathon dog search, Erin posted a final message in the Stowe Forum. We thought it was well worth a share:

“Thank you to this community! Buster Brown was missing 24 of the coldest and snowiest days in VT this year.

After hanging pieces of our bed sheets on low branches on the way from where he went missing to our home on Pinnacle Road yesterday, we got a phone call from a family on Taber Hill that they had Buster. They had seen him in their yard – and it sounds like he came right to them.

Skinny, exhausted, smelly, his nose worn bare, still wearing his collar and his orange vest, but wagging his tail and pushing his face into my underarm. He ate carefully and slept like a champ last night, on his bed right next to ours, and he was so happy for the warmth and the snuggles!

Thank you to this community for all your help in bringing BB home. The calls, the emails, the texts, the tips, the encouragement, the prayers of protection, the offers to help, those who went out driving, hiking, snowshoeing or skiing on your own to try to find him – there are so many of you! Those who lent traps, trail cameras, and cooked bacon! And to those of you who put up with us hiking in the woods between homes and behind your homes, peeking under your decks and into and under your sheds – thank you!

The biggest thanks is to Cris Pryce, the remote viewing specialist who was recommended to us. Her mappings, visuals, colors, landmarks gave us places to search and hope. She was an incredible partner in searching for our baby.”

Lots of cheers were posted from friendly neighbors following the month-long saga, including the suggestion for “a Downtown Buster Brown Mud Season Celebration. Buster can be the parade.” And, “I think he needs one BIG town party!”

Posted in: Best of FPF, Front Porch Forum

One comment

Michael says:

March 14, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Erin went on to share a poem written by a friend in honor of Buster Brown:

In a tiny state in a tiny town
Where the mountains reach high and the rivers run down
There lived a dog who ran around
And that dog’s name was Buster Brown.

One day on a walk with his mom through the snow
Buster’s nose caught a smell that made him go, go!
Is that chicken he wondered? As he followed his sniffer
Off the path through the trees never feeling more chipper.

But as he jogged, the snow fell fast
Hiding his tracks, and covering his path
So when Buster turned to smell his way home
He had no idea which way to roam.

All Buster’s nose could find was frost
Our dear old Buster Brown was lost!
Alone in the woods. Feeling scared.
But wearing a vest. (He was always prepared.)

Meanwhile down in the village the people were dour
Disagreeing about facts and the leaders in power
YAY! Said some And BOO! Said others
They stopped talking to neighbors and friends and brothers
I am right! Why can’t you see?
But try as they might they could not agree

Because every day they read different news
And every day they learned different truths
So every day they grew further apart
And little by little the town lost its heart.

But when the news spread that Buster was gone
Something really quite special began before long
The entire town stopped in its tracks
The entire town agreed on one fact…

Buster Brown must come home!
He cannot be left to suffer alone.
Buster Brown will not disappear
Not on our watch. Not while we’re here.

And every day when they walked in the woods
Neighbors called Buster’s name as loud as they could
And when they got home and took off their layers
They each said their own special version of prayers

To Jesus and Gaia and Buddha and Jah
To Taylor Swift and Noah Kahan
They looked outside to the stars above
And dug down deep for all their love.

And they sent one hope out into the world
A shared one that they hoped would be heard:
I wish I may I wish I might
Wish Buster Brown home tonight.

Each wish rose through each heavy sigh
Soared over the chimneys, past the mountains and sky
Wishes bounced off the stars and came back to the ground
And wrapped themselves around Buster Brown.

For 23 days Buster roamed through the trees
Braving the hungries, the cold and the breeze
And for 23 nights Buster curled in a ball
Warmed by the power of a wish shared by all.

Then on Day 24 he popped out of the woods!
Surprising a family who did very good
They waved their arms and jumped with joy
Saying “Come, Buster! Come! We’ve been looking for you, boy!”

And Buster came running, his vest all askew
Leapt into the arms of a friend who was new
Buster licked the girl’s nose and the girl scratched his ears
Her parents called Buster’s mom, who burst into tears.

Buster Brown made it home to his people
Saved by the love of a town with a steeple
And folks who’d learned that miracles can be
When we remember what matters, and how to agree.

–Aimee Freund, neighbor and friend of Buster Brown

Ghost of Midnight

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