K9s For Warriors reflected on the attacks of September 11, 2001, with two special events. Thank you to everyone who came out to support our mission. Through both events, you raised more than:
Thank you for your support and generosity. Together, you are helping us save more lives at both ends of the leash!
On September 10, three artists took the stage at The Yards in Ponte Vedra Beach for Country for Courage: a 9/11 Tribute with Chris Lane and Friends. Country star Chris Lane was joined by singer-songwriter Ryan Larkins and local artist Ty Love. The event brought hundreds of country music fans together for a good cause!
The next day, we joined together for our 5th Annual Golf Classic, commemorating 9/11 and recognizing the nearly 3,000 lives lost. Of those lives lost were 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel. Over the past nearly 15 years, K9s For Warriors has served Veterans as honorably as they served our country. Around 90% of our Warriors served in the military post-9/11, many telling us they were determined to join because of the deadly attack.
One of those Veterans is retired Marine Corps Corporal Anthony. He proudly shared his story with the golfers, supporters and fellow Veterans. Anthony remembers sitting in his high school classroom when the 9/11 attacks happened. A couple of months later, he joined the Marine Corps shortly after his 18th birthday. Returning home from the Marines with PTSD made life feel impossible at times. Anthony, now a middle school teacher for children with special needs, found his purpose in life thanks to his inner strength and his K9s For Warriors Service Dog, Mando.
“K9s For Warriors and Mando have been a lifeline. They believed in me from Day 1 and they believed that my life is worth saving through the gift of a Service Dog. I had no idea how my life would change, but I’ve done a complete 180 from where my life was heading to where I am today. None of that would have been possible without Mando and the support from K9s For Warriors and all the other people who are behind this life-changing organization. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! My life has changed so much since walking through the doors at K9s and I rediscovered my why! I know why I was put on this earth, and I realized that I wasn’t born to serve my own ambitions, but I was placed here for a higher purpose and a higher calling. I realized that my life is not my own and it has been bought with a price that I could never pay. Through K9s, I’ve realized that I have been placed here to help others especially when they feel like they have no other choices. I’ve realized that I have been placed as a middle school teacher to lead others and be the light in this dark world. I’ve realized that life with Mando is a life worth living, and our legacy will touch others for a long time to come,” said Anthony.
