Featured Recipient Sarah and Hero

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.

Sarah contacted the VA to begin the process of finding a service dog, but those efforts did not work out. Sarah’s needs were brought to Carol Borden, the Founder of Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, and Sarah said Carol rescued her by pairing her with Hero in 2014.

Sarah enjoys sewing, gardening, and playing with her service dog, Hero. She and her husband, Robert, also enjoy “paying it forward,” which is what prompted them to move to Williston to be near the Guardian Angels campus.

How Hero Helps Sarah

Sarah said with her depression, it is difficult to get up every morning, but Hero will come to her bed to wake up and give her kisses to brighten her day.

“Not long ago, I tried to commit suicide. I was hearing voices, and Hero kept alerting,” Sarah said. Sirius, her husband’s service dog, was able to get her husband’s attention and get her proper medical care while Hero stayed with her, sitting on the knife to keep her from cutting herself further. Sarah said the symptoms she was experiencing were due to a medication she was taking.

She said Hero helps alert her if her sugar is high or low and also helps her get back up if she falls. “Hero has encountered so many changes up and down in my health, and he accommodates and learns to help me with all my troubles. Hero is my line of life support!” Sarah said.

Sarah said before Hero, she was very reclusive, but now with Hero’s help, she is able to overcome her fear of talking to people or going out places.

What Sarah Wants You to Know About Guardian Angels

“Guardian Angels, to me, is where I am reborn and have my guardian angel materialize in a dog and walk beside me every day. I have never felt this safe. In one single phrase Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is home sweet home,” Sarah said.

Interested in Learning More About Service Dogs?

Check out our recipient stories to learn more about how service dogs help those with disabilities navigate their daily life safely.

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Mary Jo Brandt

Mary Jo has an extensive history working with the media as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University. Mary Jo has worked for companies such as Gannett, News Bank Inc., E.W. Scripps Company, Lee Enterprises, Pulitzer, Inc., Arthur Andersen, and has been involved with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. since 2011. Ms. Brandt has had many hours of training in leadership, coaching, and mentoring. Her teams have consistently been highly effective in support of organizational mission and goals. She has one son, Paul who is currently in the Navy, and a daughter, Amanda in college and working full-time for a law firm in Naples. Ms. Brandt began volunteering with Guardian Angels after both her father and previous employer received a Guardian Angels Service Dog in 2011. Seeing the incredible difference service dogs could make in the lives of their recipients, she became involved through volunteering her time & talent to Guardian Angels. Ms. Brandt was then asked to join the Board of Directors and has served as a Board Member since 2013. Recently, Mary Jo has been named as a 2021 Patriot Scholarship recipient from Colorado Technical University. When asked why this scholarship and completing her Master’s Degree in Business Administration was so important to her, she responded, “This scholarship represents how important education is to our military/veterans and their families. I am honored to be part of this unique community. I am already in a career that demonstrates my commitment to helping others, I expect finishing this degree will allow me to be much more effective in my pursuit of working with our Veterans. This scholarship isn’t just about me. It is about how I can help others.” Today we face an even bigger challenge that none of us saw coming during the midst of the pandemic and worldwide economic collapse beginning to unfold. Yet again, Mary Jo is stepping up to the plate to be sure that our organization continues to serve those that need us, as we triumph in the face of untold adversity of today’s world. Businesses will only survive these difficult times because of leaders like Mary Jo.

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