“This was one of the worst ambushes in Pech Valley,” said Army veteran Ian Kennedy as he watched a video of the attack on YouTube.
Two tours in Afghanistan took a toll on Kennedy, but nothing was worse than that day in 2009.
“Honestly, when the RPG hit, I lost consciousness. And I came too, and everything was spinning,” he said.
After serving seven years in the Army, Ian eventually came home suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Night terrors are just one of his symptoms.
“Very jumpy, a lot of anxiety. Also a sense of paranoia at times,” he said.
But that’s where Xena came in.
The German Shepard therapy dog became his companion and in many ways his savior.
“Always having her there by my side helped, it was relaxing. Whenever I’m stressed, just look at her and immediately that goes away,” he said.
But just as Ian was improving and moving forward with his life, a freak accident occurred.
Last month, while he was at work, Xena ran into the street and got hit by a car. The dog couldn’t be saved.
“I wasn’t in a good place. That’s for sure. It was very difficult,” Kennedy said.
Ian never thought he’d want another therapy dog. But he now realizes there’s a void.
Family members are helping him raise money to get another one.
He says the support he’s gotten from so many is overwhelming.
“Makes you see the world’s not that bad of a place,” he said.
And that’s coming from someone who’s truly seen the worst of it.
To help you can go to: https://www.gofundme.com/k9companion
