Key West police officer hailed as hero after rescue

Published: May 29, 2026 at 10:42 AM

Updated: May 29, 2026 at 10:51 AM

The Key West Police Department hailed Officer Corey Vanderhoof as a hero after he recently rescued a man and his Great Dane from drowning in the Hurricane Hole lagoon.

KEY WEST, Fla. — Police officers recently responded to a report of someone yelling for help near the Cow Key Bridge in Key West.

Officer Corey Vanderhoof jumped into the water and rescued a man and his 161-pound Great Dane from the Hurricane Hole lagoon.

The man said he had been struggling to keep himself and his dog afloat for nearly 20 minutes, according to the Key West Police Department.

On Friday, the department shared the report with the public and hailed Vanderhoof as a hero.

About The Author

Andrea Torres

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.