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CBS News
4 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Melissa and Mark Hortman's work lives on through trained service dogs
Melissa and Mark Hortman served their community in many ways, including training dogs to be service animals for people in need. WCCO spoke with the volunteer group and a veteran who has benefited from their efforts. Minnie, 11, is a special Labrador. She's the perfect companion for veteran Aric Elsner. "She's just the greatest gift, and I've told many people, and I still say this, this dog saved my life," Elsner said. He served in the Minnesota Air National Guard for more than 25 years and lives every day with physical and mental pain. "I had a lot of health issues, PTSD was one diagnosis, and I was diagnosed with a very painful musculoskeletal condition too," Elsner said. That's when Helping Paws came into his life. He was matched with Minnie. "If I'm anxious at home or I have a bad dream, she's right there," Elsner said. Minnie went through two-and-a-half years of training at Helping Paws, working directly with the Hortman family, who volunteered to train her. It started as a high school service project for their daughter, but when she left for college, Mark Hortman finished training Minnie. "Their love for helping others, their love for doing something above themselves, is just living on every day with the gift that I got from their family," Alyssa Golob, executive director with Helping Paws, said. Gilbert never graduated from training school, but went on to be a beloved pet of the Hortman family. Melissa and Mark Hortman and Gilbert were shot and killed on Saturday. "It's evil on its own, and then you add in an innocent dog, and that's a certain kind of evil," Golob said. Minnie is just one of the many examples of Melissa and Mark Hortman's legacy living on, continuing to serve Minnesotans for the better. Since Saturday, Helping Paws donations have been pouring in, totalling more than $10,000. The money will be used to continue connecting veterans with service dogs.
CBS News
18-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Angels Medical Service Dogs give our veterans the support they need at home
Every day, in every way, the bond between man and dog is unmistakable. It's physical and emotional, but for Megan Stanislow and her service dog, Josie, it's protection and medical service for a veteran combating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. "Just watching you with her eyes, don't do anything, she's got my back," said Stanislow. Stanislow calls the partnership between Josie and her "the perfect pairing." For 18 years, Stanislow served as an electronic technician in the U.S. Navy. She said, "For me, I was assaulted," she said. "In active duty, women make up 7% of our armed forces, at least when I was in. We're talking 2007-2008, you just bear it. You know, things happen, move on, keep going, and that's what happened." She explained that the trauma and PTSD caught up with her when she got out of the service. "It was even while I was in, I could not go to the grocery store, Walmart, other places without somebody else in tow," Stanislow said. "I realized it was bad." So, she knew she needed to reach out, to find some help. Then, just over a year ago, Stanislow got Josie, and now she's able to go out independently, work, and even play in social softball games. "I'm doing things that I was not expecting to do, because I have her (Josie) on my side," said Stanislow. Josie is a huge gift Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs gave her for free. Brian DeLong is the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs regional coordinator. "Our dogs can take care of PTSD, TBIs, diabetes, seizures, mobility issues, and many other things they can be trained for," he said. So far, the non-profit's donated 450 dogs to veterans. "Anyone that's ever received one of our service dogs, there's zero suicides, so that phrase right there is what convinced me to go to work for Guardian Angels," said DeLong. To get a dog, veterans must apply, and the dogs they receive are trained, certified, and paired appropriately. It costs about $27,000 per dog, but donations make it possible. "We're actually very appreciative of all our community partners that help us take care of these people who took care of us," DeLong said. Those American heroes, with some hidden scars, are truly being saved by the service of some four-legged friends. "I can't even put it into words, how grateful, because it's just, it's been life changing," Stanislow said. Some of these service dogs are rescues, and others are bred. Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs plans to expand to another space in McDonald. When the new space opens, about 70% of the service dogs for this non-profit will be rescue dogs, in partnership with Animal Friends Pittsburgh. To donate, volunteer, or learn more about the non-profit, click here. If you are a veteran struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can reach the Suicide Crisis Lifeline. It's 9-8-8, and then press option number one.
