Marine veteran Paul Coppola is a wonderful example of the transformational power of service dogs.
Ten years ago, he was rocked by two explosions in an attack that took the lives of 17 Marines in Afghanistan. The attack left Coppola with traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and an injured back.
Coppola didn’t think his struggles warranted a service dog but after prodding from his wife, he was paired with Dobby, a four-year-old black Lab mix trained by veteran organization Operation Delta Dog.
Dobby and Paul soon became best friends and partners in life.
Dobby helps Paul with simple tasks such as opening accessible doors and eases his anxiety by giving him something to focus on in stressful situations. Paul is also a source of support for Dobby, a rescue dog who also suffers from anxiety.
“He’s given me my freedom back, really,” Paul says. “I have to admit the fact that he’s saved my life.”
Today, Paul volunteers at Operation Delta Dog where he acts as a mentor and provides living proof of the positive effect service dogs can have in the lives of veterans.
Paul’s journey was recently profiled by Chewy in the video above entitled, “A Day in the Life of a Veteran and His Service Dog.”