When two people – or, perhaps, a human and an animal – meet and work together, they can achieve anything.
That happened to Chris, who when serving in Afghanistan met three homeless dogs who saved his life.
When he left the country, he wanted to repay the debt. So he did something that would change the lives of the dogs forever.
When American Chris Duke was stationed in Afghanistan, little did he know just how special his stay there would be.
One day he fed a band of three homeless dogs, taking the time to make them feel loved. The dogs, who he named Sasha, Rufus and Target, were soft and playful, and Chris quickly forged a bond with them.
Chris and his friends decided to bring the dogs back to their base so that they would have a better chance in life.
“A lot of used the three of them as kind of an escape. You know, whenever you’re homesick,” Chris told CBS.
Saving Chris’ life
The dogs didn’t just become good friends with Chris and his colleagues, however. They even saved their lives.
One night, as the base slept, the dogs started barking. Chris and the others soon woke up, realising that there was a serious problem. A suicide bomber was attempting to make his way into their base, but the dog’s attacked him, forcing him to detonate the bomb and kill no human but himself. Together, Sasha, Rufus and Target saved 50 lives.
Unfortunately, Sasha was badly wounded in the blast and had to be put down. Rufus and Target, however, received medical help and were able to make a full recovery.
“My firm belief is that I probably would not be here today if it weren’t for them,” Chris told CBS.
Wanting to help the dogs
Thanks to the dogs, Chris and the others were able to continue with their lives. They subsequently had the opportunity to bond further still with Rufus and Target, forming a special connection with their saviours. However, Chris’ stay in the country was always going to end. He knew that one day he would have to return to the United States alone.
Chris himself was worried that the next group of soldiers to move into the barracks wouldn’t want the dogs there, and so would force them to leave. He knew he needed to act quickly to give them the best possible shot in life. And so he did.
He heard about the organisation “Hope for the Warriors”, an group set up to help soldiers who have come home from active combat.
Chris begged the help of the organisation in trying to fly the dogs back to the States – and just days later he would have a fateful conversation.
Collection starts
The organisation’s CEO, Robin, heard about Chris’ story and decided to help.
She knew that the four-legged friends meant a lot to Chris, and so started a collection to finance the travel, necessary injections and other expenses that were required to successfully bring the dogs to the country.
One day, several months ago, Chris finally had the chance to meet Rufus and Target again.
The dog heroes who had saved his life were finally reunited with him. Now they have a new shot at a good life full of love and joy.
Both the dogs and Chris are real life heroes who deserve to be honoured for their efforts. Share this post to raise awareness for their story! Spread the love.
