George always wanted to be a soldier. When America went to war in Vietnam, George signed up and did two tours of duty.\u00a0 He was there for the Tet Offensive. He was exposed to Agent Orange.\u00a0 He saw things no person should see, and it\u2019s all stored in his mind, layer upon layer of horror that he can\u2019t talk about, even to other veterans.<\/p>\n
George joined the Army as a Private, and he came home a Captain. He wanted to return to normal life and his family, but he found it impossible. Nightmares, fear, anxiety all led him where traumatized people go for escape: abuse of drugs and alcohol.\u00a0 George was a troubled man and finding a peaceful, normal life was out of the question. His training as an accountant led to work in industry, but eventually he lost everything and at one point was homeless. His story is not unusual, though each person has his own unique version.<\/p>\n
It was years before George was able to seek help, and when he did he was diagnosed with, among other things, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).\u00a0 The psychiatrist who finally got through to George prescribed that he get a dog. And so he did. He was lucky when he found Rocky, a massive and loving Rottweiler who had been surrendered to a shelter.<\/p>\n
The bond between man and dog was instant.\u00a0 They became constant companions, and now George had someone in his life for whom he was responsible. He had to provide a stable home, food, and exercise for Rocky, and in exchange the dog gave his greatest gift, unconditional love. As anyone knows who has lived with a dog, this love can heal a broken human being.<\/p>\n
George and Rocky were together for nine years. Listed as a Companion Dog with the National Registry of Companion Dogs, Rocky was allowed to live in places that usually do not accept animals. When Rocky finally died, the grief George felt was almost more than he could bear.<\/p>\n