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the new lenox patriot | October 10, 2019 | 23
Veterans presented with K9 companions by local organization
Rochelle McAuliffe
Freelance Reporter
“You will never walk
alone.” For some, the statement
is a testament of faith,
and for others it’s a lesson
about friendship. But for a
group of local veterans, that
statement is the beginning
of a new chapter of life with
a four-legged companion
by their side.
On Saturday, Oct. 5, six
veterans from across the
state were formally presented
with service dogs,
thanks to K9s for Veterans.
The presentation was
hosted by American Legion
Post 1977 in New Lenox.
The goal of K9s for Veterans
is to help veterans and
first responders with PTSD
transition back into civilian
life after service with
the help of trained service
dogs.
“Our veterans come
home with a wound you
can’t see, and it’s a slippery
slope every day for these
veterans,” said Michael
Tellerino, founder and CEO
of K9s for Veterans. “When
we present these veterans
with their service dogs, we
want to give them a night
to remember and the night
they should have gotten
when they came home.”
When a veteran is suffering
from PTSD, a service
dog can be a game changer
in a number of ways, Tellerino
said.
“When a vet has PTSD,
they wouldn’t even walk
into a crowded room like
this, and if they did, they
would find the most secluded
corner closest to the exit.
With a dog by their side,
they can walk into a room
and everybody’s looking at
their dog, rather than them,”
Tangie gives her dad, Kelly Sparrow, an Army SSG, a
giant kiss after being presented.
Rochelle McAuliffe/22nd Century Media
Tellerino explained. “They
wouldn’t think about talking
to someone, but it’s a lot
easier to have a conversation
when someone comes
up to tell you how cute your
dog is.”
The dogs are provided
to veterans completely free
of costs, and medical care
and food are provided as
well. When dogs are paired
to their veterans, the dog
begins “basic training,”
leaning standard commands
and recalls, but as
the relationship grows, the
training does as well. The
group also enjoys outings
to places like museums and
the Morton Arboretum to
prepare dogs for an average
day with their veterans.
Hazel Nobel, an Army E5
Promotable, has spent much
of her life dedicated to service.
After joining Rush’s
Road Home program for
veteran mental health, she
was referred to K9s for Vets
to see if a service dog could
aide her even more in her
journey. After meeting shih
tzu named Nutter Butter,
her road to recovery began
with a new friend next to
her, and tonight’s presentation
is paving the road for
their journey together.
“When I’m anxious, my
dog is there to calm me
down. I can be out in public
again, and he’s allowed me
to relearn how to navigate
my life. It’s truly a blessing,”
Nobel said.
For Kelly Sparrow, an
Army Infantry SSG, a spinal
surgery during a tour of
duty left him with a blood
clot, and sitting on the sidelines
is what affected him
the most.
“I saw my brothers out
there, and I saw all of the
action I was missing. I was
bothered because I couldn’t
finish what I started,” Sparrow
said.
Dealing with PTSD has
been a daily battle for Sparrow,
but since being paired
with an American pit bull
terrier named Tangie over
the summer, Sparrow began
taking steps back toward independence.
“My kids are getting older
and they’re more independent,
so with Tangie, I
have a new purpose. I have
something to get me out of
bed,” Sparrow said. “I have
my buddy with me all the
time. I never have to walk
alone again.”
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