Looking for Cooper the dog - Bewl Water

25/03/2022

I SO wish someone would pipe up about the lady I met who saved my life with Cooper the Dog!!! It was the summer of 2013 around Bewl Water...anyone out there????

09/02/2021

Okay, so this might sound crazy or bizarre, but I'm desperately seeking to find the owner of "Cooper" the Springer Spaniel with liver and white colouration who used to be walked around Bewl Water. Back in 2013, overnight I lost my home, wife, children, money and the remnants of any friends I had. I was a sick, ill man who abused alcohol and prescription medications, having previously abused all manner of drugs before that. I then abused my wife. I was the author of my own downfall. I NEVER set out to become that monster, but it happened. Addiction, compulsion, depression and anxiety made sure of that.

Having been told by the courts that I was not to see, speak or contact my two young children and wife for a minimum of 3 months or risk being jailed, I was in a desperate way. By now, I'd moved out of Royal Victoria Place car park and then a tent in a field, into emergency accommodation at T&J Motel, Flimwell. It was 5.30/6.00am on a bright July/August morning, with a lot of mist over Bewl Water; which was now on my doorstep. I screamed out to my dead father, asking why he'd let me do all the same things he'd done to my own mum, to my own wife. I'd planned to swim out as far as I could in the cold water and, not being a strong swimmer, hoped to just sink and drown. I wanted nothing more; I was crystal clear on 'wanting out' of this world, as I may as well have been told I would never see my family again. 3 months could have been 3 years. Su***de, for me, was the best solution...my children would be better off without me and so would the wider world. I was completely certain of this.

It was as I waded out, crying and yelling to my earthly father, that a Springer Spaniel ran across the shores of the lake and into the water to me. It was exactly the same colouration as my father's dog, who had become his "rock" through the dark and difficult times he endured after giving up the booze. It was quite a shock to see "Sheba" come out of seemingly nowhere. The dog started licking me excitedly, and so I trudged back to the shore with it still splashing around. Shortly afterwards, a figure - the dog's owner - came into view through the mist...

"Are you okay sir?", the lady asked.

"No", I sobbed. "I've lost my kids, my wife, my home, money and friends."

The poor woman didn't know what to say and came out with what many of us say when we're lost for words...

"Oh dear. Well, I'm sure things will get better for you."

I calmed down a lot as the lady and I talked for some time. I explained that my dad had had the same dog as hers and how it had shown up just when it did. Eventually, she made to move off and wanted assurance that I wasn't "going to do anything silly" when she'd gone. I absolutely promised her faithfully that I wouldn't...if nothing else, I wanted her to know her time had not been given in vain. I thanked her profusely for her words and kindness and as she walked away, it suddenly struck me to ask her the name of her dog...

"Cooper", she said.

I collapsed in a heap in the muddy shores of Bewl Water, sobbing, deep, deep sobs of remorse, repentance, regret and relief all at the same time. I WASN'T alone in my plight.

"What's the matter?", she asked. "What is it?", concern on her face as she looked at this now blubbering wreck of a man.

"My name is COOPER", I sobbed. The lady turned slightly ashen and said, "Ooh gosh, wow, that IS strange."

So, it was at that moment that whilst screaming out for my earthly father, my heavenly father had come storming through. This is the man who hated anything to do with God. This is someone who mocked people of ALL faiths for their 'weakness'; an agnostic-turned-atheist who poured scorn on others for their beliefs. But I'd been caught out. As I tried to run from Father God, he made sure I had NOWHERE to run or turn. I couldn't wriggle out of what I now believe was His loving gaze. I'd ran out of reasons NOT to believe...

Ever since, my life has turned full circles and been repaired beyond belief. More and more 'miracles' happened after this...the more I turned towards God, the more He blessed me. I got my children back in my life, I was given a home in a Christian house, I never thought of drink or drugs again (I'm now well over 6 years 'clean'), I was given a fresh start with an amazing lady and was entrusted with her children too. The reason I have no qualms in telling the world this is I'm so certain of never going back to the dark places my life had been engulfed by. I've been blessed to have given my testimony in public on many occasions and, if by my story just one other person is helped out of darkness and into the light, then my experiences and those of my loved ones, will not have been for naught. I learnt some time ago that God wastes NOTHING.

So, thank you so much for reading this and if you know the owner of 'Cooper the dog', then please do point her in my direction. She needs to know the pivotal part she played in my life...and I need to thank her properly for both her and her Springer being there; yup, simply being there.

May all who have read this be blessed.
Steve Cooper

09/02/2021

17/11/2020

Well, it's over a year since I created this page and I've still not found Cooper or Cooper's owner. Come on folks, somebody out there must know them from walking/living around Bewl Water!!?🙂

06/02/2020

06/02/2020

07/10/2019

04/10/2019

Okay, so this might sound kinda crazy, but I'm desperately trying to find the owner of "Cooper", the Springer Spaniel with liver and white colouration who used to be walked around Bewl Water. Back in 2013, overnight I lost my home, wife, children, money and the remnants of any friends I had. I was a sick, ill man who abused alcohol and prescription medications, having previously abused all manner of drugs before that. I then abused my wife. I was the author of my own downfall. I NEVER set out to become the monster I now was, but it happened. Addiction, compulsion, depression and anxiety made sure of that.

Having been told by the courts that I was not to see, speak or contact my two young children and wife for a minimum of 3 months or risk being jailed, I was in a desperate way. By now, I'd moved out of Royal Victoria Place car park and then a tent in a field, into emergency accommodation at T&J Motel, Flimwell. It was 5.30/6.00am on a bright July/August morning, with a lot of mist over Bewl Water; which was now on my doorstep. I screamed out to my dead father, asking why he'd let me do all the same things he'd done to my own mum, to my own wife. I'd planned to swim out as far as I could in the cold water and, not being a strong swimmer, hoped to just sink and drown. I wanted nothing more; I was crystal clear on 'wanting out' of this world, as I may as well have been told I would never see my family again. 3 months could have been 3 years. Su***de, for me, was the best solution...my children would be better off without me and so would the wider world. I was completely certain of this.

It was as I waded out, crying and yelling to my earthly father, that a Springer Spaniel ran across the shores of the lake and into the water to me. It was exactly the same colouration as my father's dog, who had become his "rock" through the dark and difficult times he endured after giving up the booze. It was quite a shock to see "Sheba" come out of seemingly nowhere. The dog started licking me excitedly, and so I trudged back to the shore with it still splashing around. Shortly afterwards, a figure - the dog's owner - came into view through the mist...

"Are you okay sir?", the lady asked.

"No", I sobbed. "I've lost my kids, my wife, my home, money and friends."

The poor woman didn't know what to say and came out with what many of us say when we're lost for words...

"Oh dear. Well, I'm sure things will get better for you."

I calmed down a lot as the lady and I talked for some time. I explained that my dad had had the same dog as hers and how it had shown up just when it did. Eventually, she made to move off and wanted assurance that I wasn't "going to do anything silly" when she'd gone. I absolutely promised her faithfully that I wouldn't...if nothing else, I wanted her to know her time had not been given in vain. I thanked her profusely for her words and kindness and as she walked away, it suddenly struck me to ask her the name of her dog...

"Cooper", she said.

I collapsed in a heap in the muddy shores of Bewl Water, sobbing, deep, deep sobs of remorse, repentance, regret and relief all at the same time. I WASN'T alone in my plight.

"What's the matter?", she asked. "What is it?", concern on her face as she looked at this now blubbering wreck of a man.

"My name is COOPER", I sobbed. The lady turned slightly ashen and said, "Ooh gosh, wow, that IS strange."

So, it was at that moment that whilst screaming out for my earthly father, my heavenly father had come storming through. This is the man who hated anything to do with God. This is someone who mocked people of ALL faiths for their 'weakness'; an agnostic-turned-atheist who poured scorn on others for their beliefs. But I'd been caught out. As I tried to run from Father God, he made sure I had NOWHERE to run or turn. I couldn't wriggle out of what I now believe was His loving gaze. I'd ran out of reasons NOT to believe...

Ever since, my life has turned full circles and been repaired beyond belief. More and more 'miracles' happened after this...the more I turned towards God, the more He blessed me. I got my children back in my life, I was given a home in a Christian house, I never thought of drink or drugs again (I'm now well over 6 years 'clean'), I was given a fresh start with an amazing lady and was entrusted with her children too. The reason I have no qualms in telling the world this is I'm so certain of never going back to the dark places my life had been engulfed by. I've been blessed to have given my testimony in public on many occasions and, if by my story just one other person is helped out of darkness and into the light, then my experiences and those of my loved ones, will not have been for naught. I learnt some time ago that God wastes NOTHING.

So, thank you so much for reading this and if you know the owner of 'Cooper the dog', then please do point her in my direction. She needs to know the pivotal part she played in my life...and I need to thank her properly for both her and her Springer being there; yes, just simply being there.

May all who have read this be blessed.
Steve Cooper