Rob and Destiny were paired in 2021 through Armstrong’s Healing Heroes initiative.  

Rob, an Army Veteran from Lawrence County, PA, was looking to regain some of the freedom he expressed losing since returning from Iraq, when he applied for and was paired with his service dog Destiny. 

Before he was deployed to Iraq, Rob enjoyed bowling and regularly spent time with family friends. Since returning home, he became socially isolated due to severe depression and anxiety. He suffers from nightmares and flashbacks that a Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog is trained to help handle. He has found great comfort in his pets and Destiny will allow Rob to get out of the house more and help to relieve social anxiety. 

He’s hoping through his pairing with Destiny, that she will bring some sense of normalcy back to his life and allow him to live again. Rob is ready to get back to enjoying the types of events he used to before his deployment. 

Learn more about Armstrong’s Healing Heroes initiative and how you can encourage a veteran in need to apply for a service dog.