Firefighters use lost phone to post amazing adventure on owner's Facebook page - Action News
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Firefighters use lost phone to post amazing adventure on owner's Facebook page

When he dropped his phone into a Calgary river, Nathan Buhler assumed his phone was gone forever. Ten days later, photos of firefighters and fire trucks popped up in his Facebook feed.

The firefighters nicknamed the phone Hector

(Nathan Bruhler/Facebook)

When he dropped his phone into a Calgary river, Nathan Buhler assumed it was gone forever.

Buhlerhad been rafting on the Bow River with a few friends andplaying some music on awireless speaker. He was pouring ice out of hiscool boxwhen his Samsung Galaxyphone slipped out of apocket and into the depths below.

"I onlyrealized I'd dropped it when the music stopped,'" Buhlersays."I didn't even bother looking for it. Even if I found it, it wouldn't work."

The phone hadcontained photos of Buhler's new house being built, showing itsconstructionover time. It had just been finished.

Afew weeks later a firefighter waspaddle-boarding across the river on his way to thenight shift when he saw the phone in the water. He dove in about four feetand rescued the phone,Buhler says. The firefighter thenheated the device foralmost a day and a half.

When the phoneturned on, the firefighter dropped it off where he worked, Downtown Station 1, where the crew attempted to contact Buhler.

"Unable to contact the owner by phone, the crew decided to use the unlocked phone's Facebook account,"the Calgary Fire Department wrote in a statement.

"They hoped that by posting on Nathan Buhler's ...Facebook page, his friends and family would let him know that his phone had been found and that he could pick it [up] at Station 1."

The first couple posts were innocuous, a message informing Buhler his phone had been found and a photo of firefighters. They quickly became a little more playful.

"Nathan this is your Samsung speaking. The fireman have been so nice to me they're showing me around the hall and even gave me a nickname (Hector Sanchez)," the station commented.

Firefighters proceeded to take the phone on an adventure, letting Hector travel with them throughout the day.

Hectorrode in the truck.

One of the firefighters commented on this photo, "They let me drive the truck." (Nathan Bruhler/Facebook)

He helped make lunch.

Hector the phone apparently chops some onions to help firefighters make lunch. (Nathan Bruhler/Facebook)

Hector won a game of Ping Pong,

A firefighter commented on the photo that Hector "even won at ping pong." (Nathan Bruhler/Facebook)

Before heading to the gym for a quick workout.

Nathan Buhler's phone rests against barbell after a workout with the comment, "Hey nathan look at me getting jacked." (Nathan Buhler/Facebook)

Eventually, Hector was reunited with hisowner.

Nathan Bruhler, in the grey shirt, reunited with his Samsung Galaxy S4 alongside firefighters in the Downtown Station 1. (Nathan Bruhler/Facebook)

"I walked inand it was empty so I said'Hello, I'm looking for Hector Sanchez,'" Buhlerrecalls. The firefighters then dropped down from poles and popped out behind the fire trucks, laughing,with the phone in hand.

"Huge thanks to Calgary fire department for saving not just lives!" Hewrote onFacebookhours later.

Buhlersayshewould have rather not lost his phone, but "the silverlining is at least it's a funny story and people enjoyed it."