Barking from deceased LendingTree CEO’s own dog – Business News
The barking of LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda’s loyal “little labradoodle” led first responders to the physique of the 55-year-old after he vanished during an ATV trip on his North Carolina farm, based on 911 data launched by authorities.
Lebda, a father of three and longtime tech govt, was discovered pinned beneath his overturned ATV on his 277-acre property in Mill Spring on Oct. 12, officers in Polk County informed the Charlotte Observer.
LendingTree founder and CEO Doug Lebda, 55, died earlier this month. LendingTree
Someone who known as 911 round 7:30 p.m. that day reported that Lebda had gone out on the vehicle about 4 hours earlier with out his telephone — however along with his dog.
“I need everybody because this owner has disappeared at this farm right here where the pond is,” the caller informed the dispatcher, based on county data cited by the Charlotte Observer.
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The caller stated he and others had been looking out the huge property once they immediately heard barking within the distance.
“I heard that dog! He barked one time. He’s on that hill … There it was again,” the person informed the dispatcher, describing the sound coming from throughout a dam.
Deputies and emergency crews rushed to the scene minutes later. At 8:06 p.m. — about 35 minutes after the call got here in — they discovered Lebda’s physique, pinned below the overturned ATV.
His trustworthy pooch stayed close by, Polk County data show.
Investigators decided there have been no indicators of foul play, a county spokesperson stated.
The barking of Lebda’s “little labradoodle” led rescuers to his physique, based on a report. LendingTree / YouTube
Lebda purchased the sprawling riverfront property for $2.75 million in July, fulfilling what buddies stated was a longtime dream to own a rural retreat.
The entrepreneur, who launched LendingTree in 1996 after struggling to secure his first mortgage, typically break up time between Charlotte, N.C. and the farm.
LendingTree confirmed Lebda’s death, calling it a “devastating loss.”
Lebda, a father of three and longtime tech govt, was discovered pinned beneath his overturned ATV on his 277-acre property in Mill Spring. Polk County property data
The company described him as a “visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the lives of millions of consumers.”
President and COO Scott Peyree was instantly named as Lebda’s successor, with longtime board member Steve Ozonian appointed chairman.
“The news of losing Doug was devastating,” Peyree stated, including that the company would proceed to hold out his imaginative and prescient.
Someone who known as 911 round 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12 reported that Lebda had gone out on the vehicle about 4 hours earlier with out his telephone — however along with his dog. Getty Images
Lebda’s widow, Megan, stated it was “impossible to capture the depth of who Doug was and what he meant to all of us,” describing her husband as compassionate and endlessly curious.
“His energy was magnetic, his smile contagious, and his presence was a source of comfort and inspiration,” she added.
A public memorial for Lebda was held Oct. 19 at Founders Hall in uptown Charlotte, the place his daughters, Rachel and Abby, remembered him as “the most incredible man” and promised, “Don’t worry, Dad. We have each other now.”
