GALLATIN, Tenn. – Winter storms can play havoc on people everywhere, downing powerlines, making roads treacherous and more. They can also spell danger for livestock that often roam from the safety of their farm.

As a recent winter storm pelted Middle Tennessee a mule in Sumner County and a calf in Loudon County can count their blessings and thank their owners and volunteers for coming to their rescue in a time of need.

For starters, mule siblings Pearl and Earl managed to escape from their Sumner County farm after a tree took down a fence on Jan. 26.

Robin Miller and her boyfriend, Chad Patton, set out looking for the mules in their tiny town of Castalian Springs after a neighbor spotted them running loose. They managed to track down Pearl on a nearby property, but Earl seemed to have vanished without a trace. Earl was missing for three days, but no one gave up hope.

Wanting to get the word out about his missing mule, Patton reached out to social media for help.

Patton posted on Facebook: “I live at 946 Harsh Lane. My fence got torn down and my two red mules got out. I was able to find and catch one, but Earl is missing in action. I have been looking for him since sun up this morning. He is the one with the white spot on his head.”

Earl was much more than just an 8-year-old mule, he became an internet star. Word about Earl spread like wildfire. The local sheriff’s office was first to begin the search. Soon after, the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) got engaged, as did Ken Wagner’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA). Even meteorologist Bree Smith of WSMV in Nashville heard about the search and then alerted her viewers.

Rescue teams searched the area from the farm outward. Finally, a group located Earl. He was alive, but not safe. Earl somehow worked his way into Bledsoe Creek State Park, then made his way to the banks of the Cumberland River near Gallatin, where he slipped into ice on the river’s edge.

Earl was spotted by a hiker, Chris Parks, who saw the search party across the river on Jan. 28, and alerted them that Earl was trapped in the frozen river. Miller and Patton rushed to the location along with a long line of rescuers, officials and concerned neighbors. Rescuers used chainsaws and worked carefully to break the thick ice and create a path up the eight-foot embankment to set him free.

Rescuers believe Earl swam across the lake in the cold weather and then couldn’t get out onto the bank.

“When I received the urgent message from Ken Wagner I got on the line with other people,” Smith said. “Tennesseans are great people. It seems that when we have weather emergencies in this state the helpers come out. The word spread and when Earl was located it took eight people to work through the ice and free Earl.”

Patton couldn’t believe all the volunteers and officials who helped in this rescue. He posted a huge ‘thank you’ on the internet.

“Fortunately, there were no injuries and hopefully Earl will stay home with Pearl,” Patton said.

At about the same time, in nearby Loudon County, a weeks-old Angus calf had to be rescued after it fell into the Tennessee River. The calf became stranded at the bottom of a bluff, separated from its mother, after falling an estimated 30 feet into the river.

“Evidently, the animal was able to climb onto rocks along the riverbank but couldn’t make it back up,” owner Tommy Simpson said.

Simpson, who farms cattle in Loudon, said he first learned about the situation after receiving a call early one morning. “The caller said, ‘I believe you’ve got a calf in the river. I saw it on social media,’” Simpson said.

Within a short time, a rescue effort was underway involving friends, a nearby boat company, and an extension agent from the University of Tennessee. The crew made two attempts to reach the calf.

During the first attempt, a boat broke down, forcing the group to return to the bridge. A second boat was secured.

After about an hour, the rescuers were able to reach the calf and bring it back to safety. Simpson said the animal was not injured but had likely been stranded for several days and was hungry.

“As soon as we got it back to land, it found its mama and was nursing,” Simpson said. “We were lucky and I’m appreciative to everyone being concerned and helping with this rescue.”

Simpson said it’s the first time one of his animals has fallen into the river, and he described such incidents as rare. He has also helped other farmers retrieve cattle from the water.

Simpson attempted to tag the calf after the rescue, but the tag fell off. He believes the animal is one of the smaller calves in the herd.