LP_051619

10 | May 16, 2019 | the lockport legend news
lockportlegend.com
Police Reports
Three cited for suspended licenses
Lockport Police
Department
May 7
• Victoria Hansen, 28, of
the 700 block of Washington
Street in Joliet, was
charged with driving with
a suspended license, operating
an uninsured motor
vehicle and improper
use of video devices after
being stopped at approximately
8 p.m. on State
Street for an alleged equipment
violation.
May 4
• Akira Orsby, 26, of the
1200 block of 123rd Street
in Calumet Park, was
charged with driving with
a suspended license and
improper lighting after
being stopped at approximately
10:50 p.m. on State
Street for an alleged equipment
violation.
May 3
• Destany Rodriguez, 24,
of the 24000 block of Pellinore
Drive in Shorewood,
was charged with driving
with a suspended license
and speeding after being
stopped at approximately
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2 p.m. on State Street for
allegedly speeding.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The
Lockport Legend’s Police
Reports are compiled from
official reports found online
on the Will County Sheriff’s
Office or Lockport Police
Department’s website or
releases issued by the department
and other agencies.
Individuals named in these
reports are considered innocent
of all charges until
proven guilty in a court of
law.
Veteran from Lockport
paired with service dog
Sean Hastings
Contributing Editor
“A man’s best friend”
just doesn’t cut it when
describing what a service
dog means to someone
suffering from PTSD.
It is more than the greeting
at the door, a big lick
across the face or a snuggle
buddy. It is a companion
that is there to make
sure they want to get up
in the morning, can sleep
through the night or go out
in public.
Lockport resident Brian
Skraba, three other veterans
and a police officer
were officially presented
with their service dogs
April 20 at the New Lenox
American Legion. The
evening was put together
by K9’s for Veteran and
Michael Tellerino, veteran
and founder led the event.
Julian Silva, Skraba, Oscar
Gutierrez, Cassandra
Taylor and Brad Vaughn
all officially received their
dogs.
“Watching the difference
in these guys, you
can’t put a price on that,”
Tellerino said.
Each service dog is
trained specifically for the
person they are helping.
PTSD cannot be seen
and it can’t be picked out
of a crowd and in a room
filled with people.
And for Skraba, as much
as that night was about officially
getting his service
dog, Bentley, it was just
as much about continuing
to spread the word about
PTSD and finding ways to
treat it better and faster.
Skraba, a Marine veteran,
was overwhelmed by
the support shown toward
him and the others with the
Lockport resident Brian Skraba poses for a photo with
his service dog, Bentley, who was presented to him
April 20 during an event at the New Lenox American
Legion. Sean Hastings/22nd Century Media
community members and
other former Marine’s in
the room cheering him on.
He has been out of the
military for 10 years and
he said sometimes he
misses the camaraderie he
once had, but events like
that night brings it back.
“He’s just a calming
presence,” Skraba said.
“If I start getting a little
stressed out or zoning out,
he’s going to help bring
me back and take me out
of the bad place so I don’t
stay there all day.”
And the first step for Skraba
to getting better and
getting help was admitting
that he needed it. While
the dog may give away
that he is dealing with
something, he hopes that
gives someone else, who is
trying to find the strength
to get help, get it, he said.
“For a while, I thought
about the stigma, but then
I said whatever,”he said.
“The happiness she brings
me and the mood change
is worth any kind of weird
stigma that anybody may
apply.”
Skraba also mentioned
how 22 veterans commit
suicide each day.
“Maybe by me having
the service dog, maybe
someone will ask for help
and maybe that will cut
down on one,” he said.
“One makes all the difference
in the world. Hopefully
he makes a difference
for other people and not
just me.”