5-year-old Vivian Cooper of Watsonville, California had always been afraid of 102 pound Reona. That is, until the day when Reona heard her screaming in her kitchen when the earthquake began. Vivian has epilepsy, and her life threatening seizures can be caused by over-excitement. Reona left her house, leaped over three fences, and catapulted herself into Vivian's home. She pushed the frightened little girl up against the kitchen cabinets and held her there, just as a large microwave oven was shaken off the top of the refrigerator and fell right on the spot where Vivian had been a moment before. Vivian clutched the dog and covered her face in her fur while Reona stayed with her until the ground stopped shaking. Jim Patton, Reona's owner says, "There's a bond between them now that just won't quit."

Reona was the Ken-L Ration Dog Hero of the Year in 1989