This Golden Retriever Was Specially Trained to Help Injured Veterans, and Now He’s Getting His Reward

Prepare yourselves. This is about to get teary. When Iraq veteran, Bill Campbell, came home from active duty, he was on 100% disability, having suffered severe traumatic brain injuries. Luckily, Bill was matched with Pax, a kind golden retriever service dog who helped Bill get back to living his life. Now, Pax is going back to the women’s correctional facility where he was trained to be a service dog by one of the inmates herself. Watch their emotional reunion and keep some tissues on hand.

This is such an amazing story. Pax the golden retriever means so much to both of the people in this video, and it is so touching to see all three of them be together.

Pax was trained at a Bedford’s women’s correctional facility. A program through the prison allows the female inmates to “adopt” and train puppies into full-fledged service dogs, just like Lori did with Pax.

While it is a wonderful program for all parties involved (the female inmates have a way to give back and a dog to love, the veterans are then given a service dog to help improve their quality of life, and the dogs are well-cared for), Lori confesses to Bill how heartbroken she was to have Pax taken away from her.

It’s clear that Lori and Pax are very close – he knew exactly where he was when he came into the prison yard, and he ran excitedly towards Lori when he caught sight of her.

Lori then tells Bill of a realization she came to, despite being saddened by Pax leaving her side; she realized that Pax coming into her life and working with her so that he could help Bill was the greatest gift anyone had ever given her. And Bill can certainly agree that Pax is one of the greatest gifts ever given to him.

What an inspirational story to get you through the day!