Dear Reader,
I’d like to share with you the powerful impact that Service Peace Warriors (SPW) has had on my life, and the lives of my loved ones. In 2023, I was paired with a German Shepherd named Eve. She had floppy airplane ears, loved to play ball, and adored me and my kids. When SPW gifted me Eve, I had no idea that what they were really giving me was my life back.
Prior to working with SPW, I had been without purpose, hope, or reason to live. When I met Mary, she told me that one day I would understand that Eve would change my life, and that was an understatement. As I trained with Eve and our bond deepened, she and I became connected in an indescribable way. She knew when I was dissociating, intervened when I was in the depths of nothingness, and she dragged me back into my life. She showed me with her playful spirit that I could find something to smile about every day; that even when my anxiety and hypervigilance started to take over, I could overcome with her help. Eve gave me my life back.
In August 2024, we received the horrific news that Eve had an inoperable mass on her spine, and within days of discovery, she was paralyzed. Even though I live hours away, the SPW team and Mary cared for us through the agonizing decision to give Eve an honorable rest. As my kids and I grieved and cried, Mary talked me through it all and provided support, though she could not be with us physically. When we lost Eve, we were devastated. But I retained that kernel of hope that Eve gave me, because I knew that I wouldn’t have to be alone.
In March 2025, I was honored to be chosen by SPW Faramir. He’s a German Shepherd, the spitting image of Eve, is love personified. On the day he was given to me, I shook and audibly cried. My tears came from a place of grief, but they also came from my heart being so full of hope that I don’t have a place to store it. A few years ago, I wasn’t planning to make it through another Christmas, a kid’s birthday, or to see myself a year older. To come from that dark place to tears of joy is a gift that I could never ever repay.
I wish I could portray the magnitude of my thanks to SPW, Mary, Chance, Randall, and ALL the countless staff who work tirelessly to make this incredible operation take place. I do hope this letter has shown you how much the entire SPW team means to this disabled veteran. There are so many of us out there who need this lifesaving help, and I count myself among the blessed few who have received it.
Sincerely,
Becky Lee
Army Nurse Corps
Operation Iraqi Freedom/
Operation New Dawn
