Soldiers and Marines go through intense training to help prepare them for what they see and experience while on the battlefield, yet no training can fully prepare someone for the hell that is war.
Captain Jason Haag served in two tours in Iraq and Afganistan, but he was never the same after returning home from his last tour of duty. During those tours, the Marine saw his friends die and almost died when he was shot. Those horrific memories followed him back to the United States, and despite being far from the battlefield, he developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which would make him feel as though he never left.
“I definitely didn’t do anything about it, I just went in on myself. I crumbled. Hit my breaking point. And I was just done,” Haag said.
After his wife gave him an ultimatum, Haag finally decided to get the help he desperately needed.
Haag turned to a stranger with four paws and a bushy tail for help, and hasn’t looked back since. Axel, a four-year-old German Shepherd was trained to help with PTSD, and senses when Haag is about to have a flashback as well as calms him down in social settings that can be overwhelming.
Axel has Haag’s back no matter what the situation, and is helping him get better each and every day. “If that doesn’t define the word ‘hero’ I don’t know what the word means,” Haag said.
Can you believe how effective dogs like Axel can be for those suffering with PTSD? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook to spread the word about service dogs.
[Featured image credit: communitytable.parade.com]
This Marine Was Struggling With PTSD But A Four Legged Hero Saved His Life is an article from: LifeDaily