I’m at a loss, I don’t know what else to do, thought Becca Stephens, 40, when she realized her PTSD symptoms were at an all-time high. The mood swings are getting out of hand, and my isolation is leading to suicidal ideations.

Having joined the Army when she was 22 and been deployed in Iraq, the St. Augustine, Florida, native was diagnosed with PTSD in 2011. Not sure how to handle her symptoms, she tried to manage them with therapy and medication.

Feeling completely alone, Becca began self-medicating with opiates that quickly sent her down a spiral towards a heroin addiction.

Before she knew it, she was even more lonely than ever. After multiple detoxes, she couldn’t shake her addiction.

“I’ve still been using and pretending that I’m sober,” she finally confessed to one of her doctors.

“You need to find something that will motivate you to get better,” the doctor urged. “It’s not going to fall into your lap. You’ll have to work for it. Maybe look at a career with animals.”

Life

A Soldier and Her K9 Were Separated—Until Love Brought Them Home

Staff Sergeant Autumn Stock slipped into the Laughlin Air Force Base kennel. Tomorrow, she was scheduled to begin training as a military dog handler, but for now, the lifelong dog lover was on temporary kennel cleanup duty. “Hey, guys!” she greeted the seven new recruits that had arrived that morning. Some of them barked back […]

A new passion

Having always had a love for animals, Becca went on a deep dive researching jobs with service animals for veterans. She soon came across K9s For Warriors.

This is amazing, she thought as she skimmed their website seeing one of their mottos: We save two lives, not just one.

They’re really changing lives, she thought with hope in her heart.

But in 2018, Becca’s parents confronted her out of love and threatened her once again with rehab. “You have to get yourself better before you get a dog,” they said. “You don’t deserve it until you become the best version of yourself.”

With the pup as her new motivation, Becca went to rehab for the last time. Two months clean, she showed up at K9s For Warriors and was introduced to Bobbi.

At first, Bobbi pushed back on Becca’s need for instant gratification. Bobbi didn’t want to have anything to do with her. But instead of giving up, Bobbi inspired Becca to continue putting in the work to do better and be better.

Life

This WWII Vet Ran 2,600 Miles to Honor His Ship and Raise Spirits

That sounds like something I’d like to do, thought 80-year-old Ernie Andrus when he cheered on a man who was running through every country in the world as he came through Ernie’s town in Prescott, Arizona. But I want to do something nobody else has ever done. The World War II Navy veteran soon discovered […]

Hope from a K9

The responsibility of Bobbi got Becca out of bed each morning and forced her to work on her own mental health. Before long, the duo started to bond and grow closer as Bobbi began trusting that Becca would keep showing up for her.

This is all she really wants from me, Becca realized. She just wants me to show up for her — and for myself — in all the ways I never could before.

With her new routine with Bobbi, the pair began going on walks in her neighborhood park. Her parents soon began joining for the morning walk, which repaired their relationship and helped Becca see her greater purpose in life.

I want to keep helping others, she thought one day. She soon joined K9s For Warriors as an ambassador and started speaking to veterans about her experiences to give them hope of a brighter future as well. At one outing, Sheriff Hardwick from the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office heard her speak.

“I want you to come work for me,” he told her afterwards.

“Respectfully, no. I’m not interested,” she replied.

But when Sheriff Hardwick followed up with her once a month for the next few years, they formed a trusted friendship. Becca soon began volunteering in the re-entry department of the local prison helping inmates re-enter society following their sentences.

Seeing inmates struggle broke Becca’s heart. That very well could have been me, she thought. I have to do more to help give them hope.

Not long after, Becca applied for a position to help in a more official capacity in 2023 as the jail’s Re-entry Specialist, where she encourages inmates and helps them see that it’s never too late to be redeemed.

Now, Becca is confident and grateful for the second chance that Bobbi and K9s For Warriors helped offer her. “I’m transparent about my past suffering with PTSD and drug addiction because it’s hard to have hope for your future — no matter what. Now, instead of my past using me, I get to use it every single day to be a productive member of society,” she says.

“It’s time for us to start taking care of ourselves. There’s so many different avenues and out-of-the-box treatments that can motivate us to get out of bed and change our behavior. I’m just a normal person, and I’m very honored for the chance to serve others.”