BAYVIEW — Dan Weehunt wasn’t too thrilled when Lil’ Miss, his Boston bull terrier/boxer mix, started jumping on his stomach in the middle of a deep sleep.

Now he couldn’t be happier.

Weehunt recalled this week how his dog jumped on him until he woke up — to a room full of smoke — early Tuesday morning.

The Bayview resident praised the heroic actions of his Lil’ Miss, who saved him from a fire that was quickly spreading through the coils of the mattress on which he was sleeping.

“What are you!….” Weehunt recalled shouting in a discombobulated fog as the dog woke him. He immediately started to cough, choking on the fumes. He ran outside with Lil’ Miss.

“This dog saved my life; no doubt about it,” Weehunt said. “She followed me out on to the porch while I got my breath.”

Weehunt said he then soaked a towel with water and covered his face with it while he ran back into the bedroom.

“I doused the mattress a couple of times with water; it was still smoking,” he said.

He turned a fan on and opened the front door, trying to clear the smoke out of his small, modest home.

“Then I called 911 and told the fire department I had it under control. But they came out anyway, just to make sure,” Weehunt said.

Weehunt grabbed the still-smoking mattress and blankets dragging the smoky mess into the yard. Two large burnt holes were visible where a forgotten cigarette had left its dangerous mark.

The past nine months have not been easy for the disabled ship fitter of 35 years who is known by many as “Wingnut.” (He wears an actual wingnut on the end of his single braided hair.)

Weehunt said he’s been working in shipyards all over the Puget Sound since the time he was old enough to strike out on his own. He studied the welding arts at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, Ore. “There’s not a part on a boat I don’t know,” he said.

Tuesday’s close call aside, Weehunt has been in a squeeze or two before.

He talked about a time when he worked in Seattle at Unimar International, Inc. and a piece was missing from a newly constructed vessel.

“I had to take off all my clothes, rub vaseline on my body and slither down the shaft loft to put the sight glass in the end of the boring bar,” he said proudly.

He worked for the Nichols Brothers for 13 years, until his health prevented him from working for eight hours straight.

Weehunt looked down lovingly at his chocolate-covered dog every few minutes, thanking Lil’ Miss as tears pooled his eyes with each mention of her name. The dog showed her obvious devotion by never taking her eyes off Weehunt, except when playing with her rock.

“I swear to God if it wasn’t for that dog right here, I’d have been history. She saved my life,” he said. “I went out a bought her a filet mignon! She deserved it.”

Weehunt also suffers from chronic sinusitis and has had no income since September. He’s been thankful for the Good Cheer Food Bank and for the food stamps he has been getting. But with no medical insurance to cover the cost of his treatment, and money short for rent, he’s hoping there are a few people on Whidbey who can help lend a hand. Wells Fargo Bank in Freeland is accepting donations for Weehunt’s account, and others who can help can give him a call at 321-4710.

“I don’t know what to do,” Weehunt said, his voice cracking with stress. “I don’t even have a bed now and I’m hoping somebody would like to donate some dog food for Lil’ Miss.”

Weehunt said he is grateful to Helping Hand, the Friends of Friends Medical Support Fund and other charitable organizations who have helped him in the past. And he’s especially thankful for the help he’s gotten from his best friend.

“If it wasn’t for that dog, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

Patricia Duff can be reached at 221-5300 or pduff@southwhidbeyrecord.com.