Rescuers recount the 'overwhelming' moment they found Molly the border collie

It’s been a few days since Molly the border collie was rescued against all odds - and we’re still feeling all the warm fuzzies of knowing she is back home where she was sorely missed for over a week. 

The incredible helicopter mission has quickly become one of those feel-good Kiwi stories, and hearing from the people behind it who felt the huge impact of community support makes it even better.

ICYMI - Molly had been missing since March 24 after becoming separated from her owner, Jessica Johnston, near a remote waterfall in the Campbell Range - an area Lily says “isn’t somewhere the average Joe can go and walk to look for their dog”.

Lily Newton from Precision Helicopters told More FM’s Sarah and Adam the moment they finally found Molly was “such a heart-warming, overwhelming experience”.

Despite never meeting Jessica, the Precision Helicopters crew jumped in to help.

“We’d never even met her… she didn’t ask either, but we could tell how upset she was,” Lily said.

When we looked her up online, you could tell she spends all her time with that dog - it’s her best friend.

After posting about the mission, more than $11.5k in donations flooded in backing Precision Helicopters to take on the search and get up in the air, and Kiwis were even offering to take time off work to help look.

After three separate search attempts, the small family-run business run by Lily, her mum and pilot dad headed back out with a vet nurse and thermal imaging gear, determined to give it another attempt.

Even the goodest of good boys, Matt’s Jack Russell, Bingo, joined the search and took on the important job of being a furry friend on the ride home.

“We had the scanner, and she came up as a little white hot spot just sitting there waiting for rescue,” Georgina Du Val, who supplied the thermal tech, told The Breeze Canterbury’s Hilary and Fitzy.

“It was incredible flying from Matt, and of course, the community [support], who made it happen - we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.

It really is what we need in this world right now.

In a Facebook post, Jessica said she was "blown away" by the support.

"I'd like to give the biggest thank you to all that have taken the time to donate with both funding, volunteering and sharing her posts," she said.

"I'm absolutely blown away with the support everyone has given her so far from the kindest of strangers…. Thank you for helping bring my Molly back home."