Everyone knows that dogs are a man’s best friend… but sometimes, they’re more than that: they’re your best man.
That was the case for one veteran and his beloved service dog , who have such an unbreakable bond that when it came to his wedding day, he had to have his dog involved in a special way.
Justin Lansford is a US Army veterab from Silver Spring, Maryland. In 2012, he was deployed as a paratrooper to Afghanistan and suffered an accident.
“We struck an IED and it flipped my truck completely,” Justin told ABC Neuw. “I had bilaterally severed femurs which resulted in the amputation of my left leg.”
But while recovering at the hospital, Justin got an opportunity that would change his life. A group called Warrior Canine Connections pairs wounded servicemen with support dogs
Justin was paired with a golden retriever named Gabe.
Gabe was invaluable in helping Justin readjust after losing his leg.
“The less I use my wheelchair, the more I need his help in smaller tasks and the more he is there,” Justin said. “It has been very comforting to know that.”
“He helps me with one thing to the next. I can use him as a stable surface to lean on, as I get to and from the ground. If I fall, he’ll come up running next to me and I can use him to push off of to get up off the ground.”