“There were several occasions that ending my life seemed like the right thing to do. Seemed like the only thing to do.  Looking back on it, I thank God I didn’t have the courage to pull the trigger. There’s a reason for that and I don’t know what it is. There’s a purpose for me. And from what I was told, it may not be my business to know what it is.  It’ll be revealed when it’s time. It could be working with other veterans or working with alcoholics. But I know that helping others and giving back makes me feel good.

“Laddie and I were matched on April 5^th, 2015. He helps relieve my anxiety, partly because he goes everywhere with me. When we’re in bumper-to-bumper traffic, he knows my anger rises because most of the people on the freeway are, well, not smart, people hitting their brakes for no apparent reason. He spends a lot of time on the center console right next to me where I can drive and reach up and pet him.”