Navy veteran healed by service dog now helps others [Video]

• When Navy veteran Damian reentered civilian life, he had difficulty managing his PTSD on his own.
• K9s for Warriors paired him up with Shai, whose stillness and quiet calms Damian.
• Damian now trains dogs and pairs them with other veterans.

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After joining the Navy in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Damian had three deployments in Afghanistan. His work involved disarming and removing explosives to keep them safe. It was a stressful experience that also led to his traumatic brain injury.

After 14 years in the Navy, he reentered civilian life with symptoms of PTSD. He developed depression because of his sleeplessness. In order to combat the growing unhappiness over his situation, he finally sought the help of K9s For Warriors.

Damian said, “They brought him (Shai) up to me and he put his paw on me; he put his forehead to my forehead. We bonded very quickly.”

Before he can bring Shai home, the two of them have to undergo three weeks of training together to strengthen their bond.

And even if his recovery is not instant, Shai has already brought a lot of positive changes in Damian’s life. He no longer wants to stay away from people and hole up in his apartment.

Damian said, “Shai has given me a quality of life that I had lost. His stillness and quiet help bring me calm. He accentuates all the good tools that I’ve learned and opens me up to other avenues to move forward.”

And the positive changes grow from himself to the community. He has started as a trainer for K9s For Warriors and now helps in pairing fellow veterans with service dogs.

Damian explained, “Dogs are healing. It’s great to now see how trainers transform dogs and to see the beginning of their journey. There’s something special about all their stories and what they do to give everything they have to you.”

Shai helping Damian on his road to recovery is truly a testament to what a dog’s unconditional love can do. 

Source: Inspire More