From around the world
Part VIII
These two stories have one thing in common. They both have had books written about what occurred. I have not read either, and they are targeted at very different audiences. I leave the reader to decide if they or their children would enjoy the narrative.
A dog called Hope
Staff Sergeant Jason Morgan was a special forces soldier who had parachuted into the Central American jungle. He was a member of the Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). As he was being driven to the rendezvous point, the driver lost control; from then on, his memory was a blank until he woke up months later and was told by the surgeon.
“You will never walk again.” His reply is recorded as.
“Sir, yes, I will.”
It appears that in the ensuing chaos, he was thrown clear, but unfortunately, the vehicle then rolled over him, causing catastrophic injuries, a crushed spine, innumerable broken bones and collapsed lungs.
He has gone from an extremely fit, active soldier to being crippled, in permanent agony, in a wheelchair and told he will never walk again. With a wife and three sons to look after, he was convinced that in order to recover and be a proper husband and father, he had to be able to walk again. The only hope was a pioneering nerve graft surgical procedure. Unfortunately, this created its own problems, not only would it cost $30,000 but it could only be performed in the very country that has been the one where his accident had taken place. The money was raised, the operation was completed, and Jason was able to start regaining the use of his legs. While he was recovering, he met the man who had initially found him. Steve Sutherland was a missionary and had stumbled across Jason and had taken him to the local hospital. Despite the success of the operation, unfortunately, the intense pain was making the man’s life a misery, and his moods became dark
Dramatic turn
Sadly Jason’s domestic situation took a dramatic turn, he revealed that his wife had booked a holiday and didn’t return, she had also found a new man, left Jason and the children and incredibly had taken his pain medication.
In order to relieve the agony of his existence Jason had a further surgical procedure in the hope the debilitating pain could be reduced, it worked but his paralysis returned. His wife had left, and he had three children to care for. I can only imagine the man’s despair How do you cope? Quite frankly, do any of us have any idea, but I guess that is why he is an elite military man and we are not. Well, he did cope, but he needed some assistance, and it came in the form of a black Labrador named Napal, supplied by a very special charity, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). Napal was to change Jason’s life, and he never looked back. He would take part in the Warrior Games and win medals, including gold. He would learn how to ski, play golf, ride horses, swim, scuba dive and complete a marathon. To get the whole story of the partnership between Jason and Napa, you need to read the book.
A Dog called Hope is written in conjunction with Damien Lewis a famous author responsible for several books about amazing dogs including……..
The books are available in many forms, including Kindle, Audio, Hardback and Paperback.
Odin
To avoid confusion
In the USA, they are referred to as Pyrenees Mountain Dogs.
In the UK, they are known as Pyrenean Mountain Dogs.
They are the same breed. A classic example of two nations divided by a common language!!
California 2017 and the Tubbs wildfires were raging. The Hendell family were preparing to evacuate. There was little warning, and they had no way to take their goats. At night, their eight goats were looked after by Odin, a Pyrenean Mountain Dog who took his responsibilities seriously. As they rushed to leave, Odin refused to move. Trying to wrestle with a very determined mountain dog is going to be an uphill task, and with the flames dangerously close to their lives at stake, the decision was made to abandon the animals to their fate. If one good thing came out of these disastrous fires, it was that all of us around the world started to give thought to what preparations we had made for this scenario if it were to befall us.
With the wildfires in Crete, where I currently live, dangerously close, these stories take on particular significance. The family were devastated and never expected to see Odin or the goats ever again. Imagine their amazement when they were eventually allowed to return home to be greeted by Odin, the goats and some orphaned deer that Odin had managed to round up and protect. It is thought that Odin directed his charges to stand on some rocks, knowing that they wouldn’t burn, but unfortunately, he suffered some minor injuries himself. A singed coat and damaged paws were the costs he paid.
I guess it could be argued that he got away quite lightly, as he doesn’t appear to have suffered any long-term effects, either physically or emotionally. Without a doubt, the advantage for a dog when faced with a potential catastrophe is that he doesn’t understand, unlike us, that he faces death.
A children’s book with illustrations, titled Odin, was written by Emma Bland Smith and tells the narrative from Odin’s point of view.
“Having a service dog by your side can help you find the courage to take on any challenge.”
Anon
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