“I feel like my heart got a little bigger today,” Kerrie Porter said as her community rallied to help her mend her shattered heart. After losing Bruno, her service dog, last month, the local Army veteran was devastated.
Bruno broke loose during a walk and was struck by a car just two weeks after he was brought home. Porter, a disabled person, was devastated. She was left feeling insecure and mourning the partner she had counted on for independence and support.
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To help, the Top Dogg K9 Foundation, which had originally partnered Porter with Bruno, issued a public call for assistance in training a replacement service dog. Montlick Injury Attorneys then took over and paid for Porter’s new dog in full.
Blake Rashad, co-founder of Top Dogg K9 Foundation, told 11Alive, “Knowing the profound impact a service dog has on a veteran’s life, we were determined to help Kerrie find a new partner, especially considering how vulnerable she has been since the loss of Bruno.”
Surprisingly, Porter’s new assistance dog, Hayden, is Bruno’s biological brother. Hayden returned to Top Dogg for rigorous service dog training after receiving initial training at a minimum-security prison in Alabama, just like Bruno.
According to Sheila Rashad, co-founder of the Top Dogg K9 Foundation, the fact that Hayden is Bruno’s sibling is “particularly meaningful.”
“Hayden has shown remarkable aptitude in his training,” she said. “We are confident that Hayden will provide Kerrie with the same unwavering support and companionship that Bruno did.”
Porter was surprised to see Hayden during an emotional reunion surrounded by friends, family, and community members.
“It is overwhelming to think that so many people could care about my progress,” Porter said through tears as she hugged her new partner for the first time.
Helping Porter get Hayden was about more than just giving him a service dog, according to David Montlick, CEO of Montlick: “It’s about restoring independence, honoring sacrifice, and showing our veterans that we stand with them.”
Beyond the excitement of obtaining a new dog, Porter revealed that her family is expanding in another way: she is expecting another little girl in October.
Having Hayden by her side and looking forward to a new chapter, Porter told 11Alive she feels hopeful once more.
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