Erick Scott had a difficult time integrating into civilian society. Both mentally and physically, his experiences in the military left him severely wounded. To make matters worse, his soul was absolutely consumed by an intense quantity of survivor’s guilt after many of his friends were in combat.
Source Credit: Image/Story Source Credit USA Today via YouTube Video
Erick was diagnosed with PTSD shortly after, but the mix of medications he took did little to help. He would often wake up in the middle of the night from his nightmares and find himself covered in sweat.
When things hit rock bottom for Erick, he reached out to “K9s are for Warriors” in hopes of finding himself a medical service dog. Erick was introduced to Gumbo, a black Labrador that had been specially trained to assist those suffering from severe PTSD. Erick was able to turn his life around thanks to Gumbo’s soothing compassion and PTSD support skills.
Image/Story Source Credit USA Today via YouTube Video
Erick is seen in this video talking to an interviewer about his draining experiences. Gumbo obeys Erick’s “Sit” command and positions himself right beside him, completely glued to the grass.
But mid-interview, Eric repressed emotional wounds surface as he heads toward another panic attack, and that’s when Gumbo rises up to do his job. It’s magical to see Gumbo caressing Erick exactly at the moment he needs it! The pooch keeps Erik’s anxiety in check with his well-timed distracting gestures and helps Erick hit the reset button and resume the interview!
Image/Story Source Credit USA Today via YouTube Video
Gumbo deduces Erick’s trauma triggers before he even recognizes them, and Gumbo’s top priority is to keep Erik sane and functional.
As per the video below, “Veterans Administration” says a veteran commits suicide every 65 minutes. Gumbo, a service dog that prevents tortured veterans decomposing, is the difference between life or death.
Click the video below to watch Gumbo detecting and addressing Erick’s PTSD triggers at a crucial point.
