Florida Service Dog Senses His Owner Is In Danger And Saves His Life For The Second Time

Hank Ford, a U.S. Marine Corps and Army veteran, had lived with PTSD for years. He’d been struggling through daily life, avoiding public spaces, and often isolating himself at home.

His days blurred together in stress and anxiety. But all that started to change the moment he welcomed a Labrador retriever named Tommy into his life.

Hank had always loved dogs. He’d spent years raising them, but he wasn’t ready for a service animal until his older dogs had passed.

Then one day, he finally reached out to Dogs Inc., a nonprofit in Florida that trains and provides service dogs to veterans and people with disabilities across the country.

Through interviews, online classes, and home assessments, Hank shared what he needed in a service dog, and soon, Dogs Inc. had a match that would transform his life.

When Tommy arrived at Hank’s home, the connection between the two was instant. From the very first moment, it was clear these two were made for each other.

Through training sessions in public spaces, places Hank had long avoided, the pair learned to trust and rely on one another.

Tommy wasn’t just learning commands; he was learning Hank, and Hank was learning how to open his world again, sharing in an interview:

“I tell people that Tommy was training me. He knew what to do.”

By the time the official training wrapped, Hank and Tommy were almost inseparable. For the first 90 days, they stayed leashed together whenever Hank was home.

With Tommy by his side, Hank began to reclaim his life. He started going out again, working part-time at a golf course, and even found new hobbies, like building massive Lego projects with his wife.

Tommy was more than a dog; he was a companion, a therapist, and a motivator. Hank says the Lab helped him climb out of a dark place he’d been in for years, sharing:

“He definitely pulled me out of a hole.”

Then, one day, Tommy proved just how much of a hero he was. In the middle of the night, the Labrador started pawing and barking unusually, clearly frantic.

Hank initially thought Tommy needed to go outside, but the dog wouldn’t leave his side. Instead, he nudged and pawed at Hank in a way that forced the veteran to pay attention to himself.

That’s when Hank realized that his heart was racing, his blood pressure dangerously low. Something was very wrong.

Hank rushed to the hospital, and doctors discovered he was experiencing a severe AFib episode, irregular heartbeats that could have led to a stroke.

Without Tommy’s alert, Hank might not have woken up. The dog had saved his life again, even though this wasn’t something he had been trained to do.

Now, Hank and Tommy share a bond few can understand. They are constant companions, partners in life and healing.

Their story has inspired many, showing how much a service dog can do, not just for PTSD support but sometimes in unexpected, life-saving ways. Hank shared:

“He’s a firecracker. He definitely pays attention to me all the time. I mean, we’re pretty much the same being now.”

For Hank, Tommy isn’t just a service dog. He’s a hero, a friend, and a second chance at life.