Sean grew up in Brooklyn, New York. When Sean was 15, the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked on 9/11. Sean was so adamant about joining the military he begged his mother to allow him to join age 17. Sean spent his 18th birthday in Boot Camp.
For the next eight years, Sean proudly served his country as a United States Marine. Over the course of his service, Sean was awarded multiple commendations, medals and awards. When it was time for Sean to retire, like so many of his other brothers and sisters, he experienced difficulty transitioning to civilian life. Sean suffered from PTSD and depression. Sean's fiance Jennifer encouraged Sean to look into alternative therapies to help with his PTSD. They both went online together and found Paws For Heroes on Facebook and applied.
When Paws For Heroes met Sean, he admitted he was nervous about being placed with a dog. “I’ve never owned a dog before and I’m a little hesitant about getting one.” Paws For Heroes assured Sean that he would not regret getting a dog. Paws For Heroes also assured Sean that after placing any dog with a veteran, Paws for Heroes is there 24/7 to help with any questions or problems. Sean smiled and said “Alright, let’s do this.“
Paws For Heroes contacted it’s partner, Adore Houston, a local rescue group. Since 2011, Adore Houston has rescued over 4,100 dogs. Paws For Heroes told Adore that they were looking for a laid-back, calm and sweet dog that would be a good dog for someone who had not previously owned one before. Adore Houston said “Look no further, we have your dog. Come out and look at Brooklyn.”
Adore Houston was right. Brooklyn was perfect for Sean. Kelly Green with Green Dog Training in Conroe trained Brooklyn. When Sean was ready to meet Brooklyn, he was still nervous. But that nervousness disappeared when Brooklyn walked through the door. Brooklyn walked up to Sean and wagged her tail. Brooklyn looked up at him with her soft eyes that seemed to say “Where have you been all of my life?”
We went back to visit Sean a year later. Nothing but smiles were to be found in Sean’s house (and of course a wagging tail). Sean said Brooklyn is the “best dog” and that she is a wonderful companion—not only for him, but for the whole family. 😊🐾😍