George Bravo, who served in the Marine Corps for four years including the Somalia conflict from 1992 to 1993, was on his third marriage when he met Macy, the black lab and shepherd mix that saved his life.
Bravo, 44, has post traumatic stress disorder, and the Gilroy-based Operation Freedom Paws placed him with the dog that saved his life. The nonprofit didn’t just make the match: They taught the former serviceman how to train his own service dog.
“Macy, she’s four years old now, and she helps me pretty much communicate with my family. I call her the missing link,” said Bravo, who credits the dog with helping him focus on the present when PTSD flashbacks and nightmares threaten to take over.
South County residents are being invited to lend a helping paw on Saint Patrick’s Day when the nonprofit will host a fundraiser dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on March 17 at the San Martin Lion’s Club at 12415 Murphy Ave. Tickets are $45, and 68 percent of each ticket will go directly toward making dogs like Macy available to people like Bravo.
The cost of taking a single service dog through a 32-week training program and giving them appropriate veterinary care, service dog vests, and special collars and leashes averages about $10,000 per dog, explained Megan Wenholz, the marketing and communications coordinator for OFP.
But the clients receiving the dogs don’t pay a dime to join the program, which is funded by grants and donations.
Fundraisers like the one on Saint Patrick’s Day will contribute toward the costs of training service dogs which are paired with veterans and other individuals suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries and other physical or neurological mobility issues. The nonprofit is also putting aside money towards moving to a new – and larger – location in Gilroy, Morgan Hill or San Martin.
The St. Patrick’s Day dinner includes unlimited wine and beer along with a traditional Irish dinner. A bagpiper will welcome guests, and there will be entertainment, games and prize drawings.
For Bravo, having a canine partner has made a world of difference. While family and friends can’t always tell when Bravo is going to experience some of the symptoms of PTSD, Macy always knows. She communicates with Bravo and helps his family understand when panicked thoughts might be coming.
“With Macy I can’t hide it,” Bravo said. “She’ll go next to me. She’ll try to force me to laugh.”
Simply driving down the freeway and glancing at a pickup truck can cause flashbacks to his days as a Marine in Somalia, triggering panic attacks that make it hard to focus on the present. That’s where Macy steps in and licks Bravo’s face.
“She brings me back to the present so I can focus on the present instead of what I was thinking about,” Bravo said.
The organization was founded by Mary Cortani, Army veteran and former Army Master Instructor of Canine Education. Cortani was recognized as one of CNN’s top 10 heroes in 2012 for her work with canines and people.
“To me it’s a lifesaver. What Mary does – I can’t put it into words,” Bravo said. “She gave me hope with Macy and the organization … it saved my life. It saved my marriage.”
Buy tickets
As of Wednesday morning, 53 of the possible 150 tickets had been sold. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online at http://ofpstpatricks.eventbrite.com or by phone, (408) 309-5625. To contribute to OFP or sponsor a service dog, mail a donation to: Operation Freedoms Paws, 777 First St., PMB 515, Gilroy, CA 95020. Donations can also be made online at www.operationfreedompaws.org.
