We'll take a little break from Phoebe's rehab (actually it feels more like my rehab) to report on the following story from the Wall Street Journal that touched my heart.
The photo above is Gunner, a bomb sniffing dog who was discharged from the Marines for post-traumatic stress disorder. Apparently he has found a new home with the parents of a marine who died in Iraq while protecting the men next to him. It has been a win-win situation for all concerned.
The heartbreaking story of the loss of Cpl. Jason Dunham, Deb and Dan Dunham's son, is one I will let you read for yourself. Though Gunner could never fill that space in their hearts, his presence has been beneficial for him as well as for the Dunhams. As Deb says, "My Marine never came home. I have a place for a Marine."
Slowly but surely Gunner is learning to deal with his emotional scars (predominantly a fear of loud noises) and the tender loving and consistent care dished out by the Dunhams is helping. "I think Gunner will overcome," says Dan. "Everybody's resilient--human and dog."
And here's a great example of man helping dog help man, according to Dan: "We get up each day and find a new way to get through the day realizing that Jason's not here. We have to pass that on to Gunner."
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment