For many fathers, the greatest gifts are often the simplest – a movie marathon on the couch, coloring at the kitchen table or spending a lazy day at home with family. This Father’s Day, Navy Veteran Will plans to do exactly that with his two daughters. While those moments may seem ordinary, they represent something extraordinary for Will.
After serving 26 years in the U.S. Navy, Will returned home carrying the invisible wounds that many Veterans face. Throughout a career that took him to more than 30 countries, he experienced both incredible opportunities and profound challenges, including the loss of fellow service members to suicide. When his military service ended, the effects of those experiences followed him home.
Every morning, Will would drop his daughters off at school, smile, tell them to have a great day and head back home. Then he would retreat to a dark closet and sit alone. From the outside and to others, everything appeared normal.
"That's how the invisible struggle works," Will shared. "It wears a normal face in public."
Although he wanted nothing more than to be present for his family, everyday activities often felt overwhelming. Crowded spaces, public events and even routine family outings became difficult to navigate. Yet through it all, his motivation remained clear – he wanted to be the best father he could be for his daughters.
That goal eventually led him to K9s For Warriors. While picking up prescriptions at his local pharmacy, Will met another Veteran accompanied by a Service Dog, who shared his experience with K9s For Warriors and Will immediately felt compelled to learn more.
What started as a chance encounter would ultimately change his life.
K9s For Warriors paired Will with Service Dog Bob in March 2024, a Golden Retriever rescued from the Canada wildfires. Fast forward two years later, the pair have formed an inseparable bond.
"Bob allows me to continue to grow and be as involved as possible in my daughters' lives," Will said. "He allows me to be comfortable during my daughters' dance events."
Today, Will attends dance recitals and competitions that once felt impossible. He can sit in crowded gyms and theaters and focus on what matters most: cheering on his daughters from the audience. In fact, it was his daughters who were among the first to notice the difference.
"They saw daddy being more involved in their everyday life," he said.
For Will, that’s what recovery looks like…not just healing from the past but reconnecting with the people he loves most.
His story is also a reminder that many Veterans continue to fight battles long after their military service ends. By pairing highly trained Service Dogs with Veterans suffering from the invisible wounds of war, K9s For Warriors helps Warriors regain confidence, independence and connection to their families and communities.
"We lose too many Veterans every day to their mental health," Will shared. "Trusting the process is very important in your journey."
This Father’s Day, Will isn’t asking for anything extravagant. Thanks to Bob, he has something far more meaningful, which is the ability to be present for life’s everyday moments. For him and his daughters, that means everything.
