Where did you serve and what did you do?

I served throughout the world for 10 accumulative active years out of 12 from 1999-2011, and I am OIF/OEF USMC veteran. I’ve had the privilege of being infantry, military police, and some other odd jobs.

Tell us how your dog is helping you continue Still Serving in your community.

On September 24, 2012, two of my 2nd generation service dogs were born from the same litter. They have not only saved me on more than one occasion, but others as well. They are my P.T.S.D. service dogs. They were with me even when I was homeless for almost two years during C.O.V.I.D. lockdown. Skylla, kept me grounded throughout her life, and she went with me almost everywhere. Hades is more of a stay at home dog. Skylla would take care of me as I slept. Hades always got hot and wouldn’t stay in the bed. But Skylla would be there when I had my nightmares, when I had sleep paralysis. The past two years Skylla and Hades both battled heartworms. Skylla suffered from a uterus infection and passed away post operation this past April 18, 2024. Hades has recently been diagnosed as baby heartworm free, and are still waiting on the test results for adult heartworms. However he has an unknown cyst on one of his hind legs. Technically Hades is retired, but I would still take him with me for long journeys, and for situations where I am uncomfortable such as emergency rooms. But I wanted to at least tell a bit of Skyll’s story in her memory. She did more than just pull me out of sleep terrors and paralysis. She saved me from making huge and fatal mistakes. When I lost all sense of reality during my darkest moments, she was there for me and kept me from making some awful decisions. She helped me relearn to love and care for a being again, and that there was still good in this world. Hades helped with that last part as well. Her last major act of service to me was I had to go an emergency room with symptoms similar to a stroke. Turned out to be something else just as deadly. Something that I may be living with still today. She protected me during that visit. She was worried about me. And for a few months as I was healing, she was brought out of retirement while I healed, but still had to go to my appointments. So when I found out that she was ill, for a little over a year, I made sure I spared no expense for her medical treatments, and her surgery. I loved her as a surrogate daughter. And I love her brother as a surrogate son.

Why do you do it?

Life is precious. *Deuteronomy 30:19, & 20 KJV. And it is written: “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” -Proverbs 12:10 KJV