Matthew first served with the US Navy in the Persian Gulf. He was motivated to rejoin the military following the September 11th attacks even though he had been discharged for several years. While serving his country a second time as an infantry medic, Matthew had a near-death experience that left him with multiple permanent disabilities. (more…)
Laurie McGruder, who is paired with service dog Kash, has overcome many challenges with her service dog by her side. After a break-in at her home in March 2009, Laurie suffered from severe PTSD. “I was in a constant state of panic and oftentimes refused to leave my bedroom. My health deteriorated, and my chronic pain, migraines, and seizures were out of control,” Laurie said. (more…)
Michael Danielson, who is paired with service dog Santa Paws, has a long career in service. He served in the Air Force and then went on to work as a Correctional Officer and then as a Deputy Sheriff. He is also involved in Boy Scouts with his son and enjoys camping, fishing, and hiking with his family and Santa Paws. (more…)
Karen served as a Navy Corpsman for 20 years, where she witnessed many horrific injuries and events. She went on to work as an ambulance crew member and later as an ER Supervisor, where seeing trauma was an everyday occurrence. As a woman veteran, Karen also experienced sexual assault and sexual discrimination. (more…)
Aron, a Marine Corps veteran, was given a new lease on life when he was paired with his service dog Allie. In July 2023, they reached their “Pairaversary,” celebrating one year together. Allie has made many amazing changes in Aron’s life and continues to teach him something new every day. (more…)
Brian Kellum served a more than 15-year career in law enforcement, where he faced danger and worked hard to catch criminals guilty of heinous crimes. “I spent several years in law enforcement, have been through three sniper schools, all more advanced than the first one, worked as a Private Military Contractor serving as a Designated Defensive Marksman and Sniper overseas, as well as on a Human Trafficking Taskforce,” Brian said. (more…)
Regis, a 100% medically retired Navy veteran, served for approximately 16 years. He has been married to his wife for almost 21 years and together they have five children. His oldest child joined the Navy when she graduated in 2016. Regis said he enjoys spending time with his wife and children, as well as his service dog Cheyenne, who he was paired with in 2016. (more…)
Jonathan Conover, MSW, LCSWA, is an Army Veteran who served for eleven years, with one deployment to Iraq and three to Afghanistan. He is now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker employed as an independently contracted outpatient therapist. (more…)
Sarah, a Military Sexual Trauma survivor, served in the Army from 2005 to 2007. Sarah had an accident, falling from a height of about 19 feet. During this time, she requested compassionate reassignment due to her husband at the time being ill. After her husband passed away, she got out of the military. “I stayed basically locked in my house, failing to adapt to civilian life,” Sarah said. (more…)
Natalie C. Vines, Lieutenant Colonel (Medically Retired), is a Texas native who grew up and attended High School in Plano, Texas, and excelled in band, softball, basketball, and soccer. Natalie is paired with her service dog Bugg through Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs. (more…)
Bryan Carpenter joined the Marines in 2005. In 2006, during his service overseas in Iraq, he hit a roadside bomb that placed him in a medically induced coma. He woke up weighing 120 lbs. and had to learn to walk, talk, and live all over again. (more…)
Matt Greer was injured in Iraq, which halted his military career and ushered him back into civilian life. “This unexpected transition posed more challenges than what I was prepared to face. The routine in everyday life was no longer normal for me; seemingly simple daily tasks such as spending time with friends and family or going to the grocery store were daunting and often brought about anxiety and emotional struggle,” said Matt. (more…)
Recipient Anita, a Navy Veteran, has narcolepsy, mobility issues, and sensory deficits in her legs and feet that make navigating certain surfaces very difficult. Before being paired with her Guardian Angels Service Dog, Comet in 2020, she said that getting around in her daily life was a constant challenge. (more…)
Gina, who was paired with her service dog Rhino in 2018, has intractable epilepsy from a TBI (traumatic brain injury). Rhino is specifically trained to alert Gina before a seizure happens so that she can get to safety. (more…)
