The seasonal staple “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” one of six holiday hits from his new EP A Classic Christmas, no doubt tugged at the heartstrings of singer Gavin DeGraw recently as he watched dogs celebrate the fact that they now have a forever home with members of the military at an event benefiting Paws of War.
During the private function, which was held in mid-December at The Wilson restaurant in New York City, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matt Brustein was presented with Sadie, a former shelter dog turned service dog. Brustein told Fox 5 News: “She truly is a bright star in my life right now.” Brustein has suffered from PTSD after serving his country for eight years, including two deployments in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.
The evening also served as a reunion between U.S. Army Air Defense Officer First Lt. Alyse Schnurr and Kucik, a puppy she had formed a bond with during a nine month deployment in the Middle East.
Schnurr, who had reached out to Paws of War to bring the pup home, told Fox News: “I was just so happy and so excited to have her back — it brought back all the memories of how awesome it was having a little furry friend over there while I was away from friends and family.”
Here is a look back at First Lt. Schnurr thanking Paws of War and all of those who were raising funds at the time to make Kucik’s journey to her home in the US possible:
“Paws of War is a great organization and this is for a wonderful cause,” says Grammy Award-nominated DeGraw, who is both the son and grandson of veterans.
“I’m happy to be able to give back to our veterans, especially around the holidays. My dog, Buddy, is my best friend, so I understand the bond and comfort animals bring us. With numerous veterans in my family, supporting them has always been incredibly important to me and I’m honored to be a part of this event.”
Founded in 2014, since its start Paws of War has reunited more than 600 companion animals with the servicemen and women who saved and cared for them during their overseas deployment through the War Torn Pups & Cats program.
The group has rescued hundreds of dogs from kill shelters, providing them with the training needed (at no cost to the veteran) to become service dogs for vets who are dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
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