Truett McConnell University held its first 5k walk/run event on April 8 to raise money for K9s For Warriors, a charity that pairs military veterans with rescue-turned-service dogs in a program that heals two lives. Despite the chilly spring weather, over 80 participants completed the route and 90 total donors helped raise $7,500 toward the cause.
Jeremiah Lukers, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at TMU, helped the university partner with K9s For Warriors, a charity that provides a unique way to help veterans who suffer from PTSD, brain injuries and sexual trauma. This organization rescues dogs from shelters, trains them as service dogs and pairs them with veterans to form a relationship that saves two lives. Their program has proven successful, helping veterans reduce suicide ideation while simultaneously saving the lives of 1,300 rescue dogs.
Eli Patterson, a veteran who completed the K9s For Warriors program, attended the event with his beloved service dog, Soz. While Patterson was serving as a Field Artillery NCO in Afghanistan, he sustained a life-changing injury that made it impossible for him to walk, talk or move his limbs. The veteran almost took his own life on Thanksgiving Day of 2019.
“Getting Soz changed everything in my life. Things got better in ways I didn’t anticipate,” Patterson said. “The emotional stuff that I’m not good at, she helps with. My marriage got better, and I go to my kids’ games more often.”
Not only has Soz saved Patterson’s life by aiding his mental health, but she has also saved his life during medical emergencies. Patterson shared that once, when he passed out during a vertigo episode, Soz stopped him from falling down the stairs and kept his airway open long enough for someone to find him.
“Soz gave me the opportunity to go somewhere and do something with my life,” Patterson told participants. “She helped me become an advocate for other veterans instead of feeling like I always had to be a victim.”
Today, Patterson’s service dog makes it possible for him to walk without a cane and feel safe while interacting with others.
“After hearing Eli Patterson’s story about how Soz saved his life, it really made every bit of work worth it, if there was any chance another life could benefit from this organization,” Owen Nobles, a senior Exercise Science major at TMU and volunteer at the event said. “It was amazing to have so many people from the community, as well as our university, participate and donate to raise money for this cause.”
Community members, as well as TMU faculty, staff and administration participated in the 5k.
“I would like to thank my students, co-workers, and local community for helping make the event a success,” said TMU Professor Lukers, who organized the event. “I am thankful for the time Eli Patterson sacrificed to come and speak at our event and raise awareness for our military veterans and canine friends. I felt blessed to be a part of this wonderful cause.”
