06/01/2026
For Bear-Bear 🐾❤️
Back in 2013, after retiring from the Army, I was struggling with PTSD and epilepsy and was looking for a service dog. Helping Hounds had picked out a puppy for me, but then Bear walked in from a potty break, jumped onto the loveseat beside me, and put her head right in my lap. That was it. We chose each other.
Bear was a rescue from Oklahoma, and while I never knew much about her past, I know she was a fighter, a protector, and one of the smartest dogs I've ever known. She could sense my seizures before they happened and was always by my side when I needed her most.
She became "Mama Bear" in our home—watching over our family, loving our children, protecting the house, and giving endless comfort and cuddles. She was my best friend, my companion, and my constant through some of life's hardest moments.
Last night, Bear passed peacefully in my arms. It broke my heart, but I am grateful I could hold her until her very last breath. She spent years making sure I was never alone, and in the end, she wasn't alone either.
Bear, you made me better. Thank you for your loyalty, your love, and the countless ways you carried me through life.
Run free, Mama Bear. Until we meet again. 🌈🐾❤️