I was plagued with nightmares from my time in the Army as a Mortuary Affairs specialist in Afghanistan. I was easily startled and constantly on high alert, and also suffered from chronic knee pain, shoulder pain from surgery, and migraines from a jaw implant. I struggled to pick up things, stand unaided, and maintain focus.
I was invited to the ‘Bump’, where I was introduced to several dogs that ran passed me. Just when I was feeling frustrated, BANKS ran up to me so excited, he almost knocked me over. I wasn’t sure about the connection, but my family assured me it looked like love at first sight.

I struggled to work through my years of avoidance and anti-social behavior. I eventually realized how to use BANKS as a way to work through situations that would normally have shut me down. I began to use BANKS as an aid to keep me grounded to my environment and to settle down with less anxiety.
When I took BANKS home it made an immediate impact on me and my family. I started to re-enter social life with my wife and children. My family was able to plan movies, dinners, and events. I even returned regularly to paws4people training to assist new clients and speak about my experience which I hadn’t been able to do before. I was even able to speak at fundraising golf tournaments!
 

Sadly, BANKS left us all too soon. But he left his mark, and paw prints, on my life forever. Although our family is grieving, my time with BANKS and paws4people has given me the ability to move forward and learn from the past.

Since MCLELLAN and I have become a team, my life has changed so much in all aspects of life including social interactions and life at home with my family. MCLELLAN has helped me with the issues that I needed help with. MCLELLAN has taught me to trust and focus on him and that he will help me get through any situation. I know for some people that may not mean much, but it was the biggest challenge for me. I have more days now where I do not wake up with nightmares because of MCLELLAN. I am able to spend time and go places with my family that I would never have done before. I can go to the movie theatre and go to restaurants and not worry or feel that I must leave immediately. I know with MCLELLAN by my side that I have battle buddy always in my corner to help me through all my difficult days and difficult times that I struggle with. Not only is MCLELLAN my battle buddy, but he is also my families. He helps my wife and son while they struggle to deal with my every day issues. I am so thankful for having MCLELLAN in my life and so thankful for paws4people and Warrior Salute for giving me a chance to be apart of my family again and to be able to enjoy life again!"

Since bringing home my Sucessor Dog PEYTON in April 2021, I was promoted to Director of Peer Recovery Services at Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services. In this role, PEYTON and I lead harm reduction initiatives for the agency and oversee all peer recovery specialists and family support partners that are embedded in other programs to include: law enforcement co response, coordinated speciality care, forensic discharge planning, and child services. My first Service Dog allowed me to repair my relationship with my children and go back to school for a Master's Degree in Social Work. PEYTON has allowed me to grow in my career and in addition to helping me face my challenges of PTSD everyday I am now a face in the community to help other people who are living with mental health diagnoses."

Since our last update, MAC and I have moved on from working in our full time position at paws4people to pursue higher education. MAC has been my rock during my time at college and I do not know what I would do without him. MAC and I are still a working Team and are still available for visits to McAfee as Ambassadors for paws4people. I am so thankful for the support of McAfee and paws4people for transforming my life."