Irwin Stovroff is a WWII veteran that knows the struggle of readjusting to civilian life after being wounded in battle, all too well. Stovroff served the Untied States during WWII and, according to his own words, was lucky enough to “return in once piece.” Despite his good fortune Stovroff emphasizes with other soldiers who weren’t nearly as lucky as him and has even been moved to tears just thinking about the challenges they would have to face. Stovroff decided it was time for him to give back to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield. He wanted to give veterans that left body parts behind on the battlefield the opportunity to feel “normal” again.
He launched a program called “Vets Helping Heroes” with one goal in mind, raising funds to provide guide & service dogs to our wounded veterans. He set out to provide these wounded soldiers with mobility, independence, and companionship though the help of well-trained service dogs.
Stovroff knew that the dogs would benefit the soldiers physically but he had no idea that the mental impact caused by the dogs presence would be so life changing for so many soldiers. While speaking with one soldier he was told:
“The most important thing is when I’m walking down the street people look at my dog, not at me”
This short statement made in passing had an irreversible effect on Stovroff that motivates him to keep working to this day. Listen to Stovroff speak about “Vets Helping Heroes” and the effect it is having on the military community in the AudioBurst below:
[revad2]
