OLAR -- Mother Teresa once said, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

Firefighter Dwight Williams of the Olar Fire Department performed one of those "small" acts of love for one of God's humblest creatures last month. In doing so, he performed a great service that brought joy to the heart of 4-year-old Olivia Hartzog and her family and set an example for all who hear his story.

His act of compassion also prompted People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to recognize Williams with the group's "One Can Make a Difference" Award.

Williams, who had been a certified firefighter for less than a week, was one of a crew of firefighters responding to a 911 call from Olivia's dad, James Hartzog. Olivia's pet dog, Mollie, had fallen into a 33-foot dry well in the woods behind the family's home.

When Mollie first went missing, the family was not worried. Olivia's dad heard her barking in the woods behind the house and assumed she was off chasing a deer. They have several dogs, and they all love to chase deer, James Hartzog said.

It wasn't until the next morning that they got worried when Mollie, who has puppies, didn't show up for breakfast. Even though she's weaning her babies, it wasn't normal for her not to appear, Hartzog said. Then, they heard the unhappy pooch.

"I was fixing a leak in her doghouse, and we heard her yelping and it was echoing," he said. "My wife took a flashlight and found her."

Olivia wanted her dad to get Mollie out, but Hartzog decided it was time to call 911. The Hartzogs live in the country between Olar and Govan, and both fire departments quickly responded.

When rescuers realized that the only way to rescue Mollie was to go down and get her, Dwight Williams immediately volunteered.

"I leaned over and saw the dog, and I said, 'I'll go down.' ... My main concern was the dog in the hole. The poor thing was scared to death down there in that hole," Williams said. "I have a soft spot in my heart for life, period."

He descended into the well, picked up the 50-pound dog and climbed back up the ladder with her in his arms even though he was really scared, Williams said.

Open holes are unpredictable and can cave in, but that wasn't what concerned him the most, he said.

"I was thinking about a snake being in the hole. I am deathly afraid of snakes," Williams said. "They scare me more than anything. I was thinking, 'Is there a snake behind that little crevice in that hole?' I was wondering what would I do if I saw a snake -- what would I do if a snake struck at me?"

At first, he tried to put on his whole uniform because he knew the heavy material would give him some protection from a snakebite, Williams said.

"But the incident commander told me, 'You can't wear that down there, Dwight.' The hole was small and cramped, and he didn't want anything to prohibit my moving up and down. After getting down there and experiencing how small it was, I was glad he stopped me."

Mollie's relief and Olivia's joy at getting her dog safely out of the hole was worth it all, Williams said.

The firefighter's selfless act has inspired appreciation and praise from the Hartzogs and others. Hartzog said his family is truly grateful to Williams.

"I thanked him, my wife thanked him and Olivia thanked him," he said.

Olar Fire Chief Chris Fail called Williams a hero and said all his men performed well on the unusual call.

"This was a first-time experience, and we're really proud of Dwight. Our firemen were trained to go into burning houses, not holes, and he did a really good job," Fail said. "He's a hero who turned what might have been a little girl's heartbreak into joy."

Ashley Byrne, a PETA senior campaigner, said PETA thought it was important to recognize Williams "because he reunited Mollie with Olivia."

"Going out of his way to rescue this dog is a wonderful lesson for this child about compassion," she said. "If you can teach a child to value the lives of animals, they're more likely to value each other."

The "One Can Make A Difference" Award goes to people who have taken actions that make the world a kinder place for one animal or many animals, Byrne said. Williams will be receiving a thank-you card signed by PETA staffers, a framed certificate and a personalized copy of PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk's 2008 book of the same name.

The award takes its name from the book, which is a compilation of more than 50 thought-provoking, original essays written by the famous and by everyday heroes.

For more information, visit peta.org.

T&D Correspondent Dale Linder-Altman can be reached by e-mail at jerryanddale@lowcountry.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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