COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa —
Australian Shepherd Lacey is reporting for duty. Donning her service vest, she can sense when her owner, Marine veteran Kevin Doncaster is stressed, anxious or overwhelmed.
This isn't just puppy love. Doncaster said Lacy is his savior.
"She's phenomenal," Doncaster said. "And she's a little charismatic too, and a little needy sometimes, but that's okay, because she keeps me alive."
Doncaster spent 14 years as a Marine and Department of Defense contractor. He was badly injured when his helicopter took fire in Iraq and took three years to recover. However, like so many veterans, his battle with PTSD persisted when he got home.
"I tried to give up last year, I had a serious plan in motion and I was ready to just end it all," Doncaster said.
Luckily, he had Lacy. He couldn't leave her or his family behind.
"Somebody could offer me a million dollars for her right now. They'd never get it," Doncaster said.
According to the most recent report from the VA, the suicide rate among veterans in 2019 was 52% higher than the rate of non-veteran adults in the U.S. Doncaster understands why.
"I've seen the worst that humanity has to offer," Doncaster said.
So, the husband and father decided to be the best of humanity.
"What am I going to do with my life? Am I going to waste it? Or I'm going to honor these guys," Doncaster said.
Looking at Lacy's big brown eyes, the recent Council Bluffs transplant had an idea about how to honor his fallen friends. It became his mission to get free service dogs to veterans in all 50 states.
"It's a game-changer," Doncaster said. "[Lacy] relies on me to take care of her and in turn, she takes care of me."
Since 2019, he said his organization Warhawk has placed 45 service dogs in 18 states.
"It's like having a battle buddy. 24/7," Doncaster said.
The trained dogs don't just find homes with veterans. They can be the source of solace and snuggles for Gold Star families, too.
Amber Eidem lost her husband in the line of duty six years ago. Their daughter, Kaden, was six.
"She struggled deeply," Eidem said. "They were super close."
The holes in their hearts could never be filled. But the two dogs they got from Warhawk filled their home with renewed love and laughter.
"When she has a bad day, she hangs on her dog," Eidem said. "Seeing that she lights up now is a blessing. It's a relief."
This year, Warhawk has focused its efforts on re-certifying service pups and helping veterans train their own dogs with $1000 grants. If you know a veteran in crisis, you can direct them toward the Veteran Crisis Line. Call 1(800)273-8255 or text 838255.
With a dog's loveable mug as the face of Warhawk, talking about traditionally taboo topics is a little easier.
"PTSD is never going to stop sucking, we can only make it suck a little less," Doncaster said. "And it's a pretty powerful thing. When you have a community behind you the way that we do."
www.ketv.com
Australian Shepherd Lacey is reporting for duty. Donning her service vest, she can sense when her owner, Marine veteran Kevin Doncaster is stressed, anxious or overwhelmed.
This isn't just puppy love. Doncaster said Lacy is his savior.
"She's phenomenal," Doncaster said. "And she's a little charismatic too, and a little needy sometimes, but that's okay, because she keeps me alive."
Doncaster spent 14 years as a Marine and Department of Defense contractor. He was badly injured when his helicopter took fire in Iraq and took three years to recover. However, like so many veterans, his battle with PTSD persisted when he got home.
"I tried to give up last year, I had a serious plan in motion and I was ready to just end it all," Doncaster said.
Luckily, he had Lacy. He couldn't leave her or his family behind.
"Somebody could offer me a million dollars for her right now. They'd never get it," Doncaster said.
According to the most recent report from the VA, the suicide rate among veterans in 2019 was 52% higher than the rate of non-veteran adults in the U.S. Doncaster understands why.
"I've seen the worst that humanity has to offer," Doncaster said.
So, the husband and father decided to be the best of humanity.
"What am I going to do with my life? Am I going to waste it? Or I'm going to honor these guys," Doncaster said.
Looking at Lacy's big brown eyes, the recent Council Bluffs transplant had an idea about how to honor his fallen friends. It became his mission to get free service dogs to veterans in all 50 states.
"It's a game-changer," Doncaster said. "[Lacy] relies on me to take care of her and in turn, she takes care of me."
Since 2019, he said his organization Warhawk has placed 45 service dogs in 18 states.
"It's like having a battle buddy. 24/7," Doncaster said.
The trained dogs don't just find homes with veterans. They can be the source of solace and snuggles for Gold Star families, too.
Amber Eidem lost her husband in the line of duty six years ago. Their daughter, Kaden, was six.
"She struggled deeply," Eidem said. "They were super close."
The holes in their hearts could never be filled. But the two dogs they got from Warhawk filled their home with renewed love and laughter.
"When she has a bad day, she hangs on her dog," Eidem said. "Seeing that she lights up now is a blessing. It's a relief."
This year, Warhawk has focused its efforts on re-certifying service pups and helping veterans train their own dogs with $1000 grants. If you know a veteran in crisis, you can direct them toward the Veteran Crisis Line. Call 1(800)273-8255 or text 838255.
With a dog's loveable mug as the face of Warhawk, talking about traditionally taboo topics is a little easier.
"PTSD is never going to stop sucking, we can only make it suck a little less," Doncaster said. "And it's a pretty powerful thing. When you have a community behind you the way that we do."
Lovable hounds to honor lost heroes: Metro organization gets service dogs to veterans
After he was gifted a service dog, one Metro man made it his mission to help other veterans find a loyal companion.
www.ketv.com
