Here is a glimpse back story of my dad who is a veteran that served in the United States Navy from 1991-1994, during Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. While living and working in New York, Chad began experiencing symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, though he didn’t understand what was happening at the time. He moved to Portland, OR, and things got worse. Chad suffered blackouts, surges of anger or fits of crying, and he would forget things or lose his way within blocks of his house. Things spiraled and Chad lost everything – his career, his savings, his home. Eventually, someone reached out to him and helped him connect with the VA, where he could access the resources he needed. This is where our story begins – on Chad’s first time to the river, where he hooked a jack salmon and felt a breath of life move through him. A few years after that first fishing trip, Axe joined Chad as his service dog and became another grounding force in Chad’s life.SHOW LESS
