Man's best friend, indeed
Laura Butterbrodt
Multimedia Journalist
Man's best friend, indeed
D.J. Church says his service dog, Gunner, has already saved his life. Church is a military veteran suffering from PTSD.
May 27, 2017
Memorial Day is a national holiday to remember those who gave their lives while serving in the armed forces. For many, however, their service is impossible to forget.
D.J. Church was nearly one of those service members who is remembered on Memorial Day. Church spent 14 years in the U.S. Navy, spending nine years in joint services and five on-ship. He was aboard the USS Somerset in San Diego, Calif., until he left in April 2015.
“I had a complete mental breakdown, where I attempted suicide multiple times,” Church said.
It was then that his commander realized something was not right and found Church help at the Naval Medical Center, informally known as the Balboa Hospital, in San Diego.
Church was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, which occurs when traumatic events are repeated or prolonged.
“I never really dealt with my traumatic events, I just boxed them up and kept them in the back of my mind, because that’s what we were always taught to do: Just hold that and compartmentalize.”
In July 2016 Church was medically retired from service. He moved back to the town of Henry with his mother, Connie Wilson, where they had lived since Church was in high school.
It wasn’t long after Church returned that Wilson became aware of the Lane Logan Memorial, a nonprofit organization in Watertown that works to help veterans with PTSD by finding them a companion pet. The memorial was started last June in memory of Lane Logan, who committed suicide April 23, 2015, as a result of PTSD.
Lane Logan Memorial board members interviewed Church and Wilson for a service animal in August, and two weeks later found a dog they thought would be a good companion for Church: a black Labrador retriever named Gunner.
“We did a week trial with Gunner coming out and we bonded right away,” Church said.
Since getting Gunner, Church’s symptoms of PTSD, manic depressive disorder, acute agoraphobia, panic attacks and night terrors have significantly changed.
Gunner is able to help with panic attacks by getting in Church’s face, which forces Church to focus on him instead of whatever is triggering the panic attack. Church said this has lessened the length and severity of his panic attacks.
“I’m less depressed with Gunner. I haven’t had any suicidal thoughts in a long time with Gunner being around.”
Gunner also wakes Church up during nightmares—even the nightmare that became reality last October.
He was awakened in the night by Gunner, so Church took him outside. When he came back to his room he noticed a light in his closet. When he opened the door, the closet was engulfed in flames.
Church, Wilson and Gunner were able to escape the electrical fire in time, but Church went back in the house to try to save their other two pets. He wasn’t successful, and he suffered from smoke inhalation because of it. When Church was put in the ambulance, Wilson fought to get Gunner in the ambulance as well to keep him calm.
Wilson and Church both credit Gunner for saving their lives. The smoke alarm was outside Church’s bedroom door, but with the door closed the smoke wouldn’t have reached it in time for him to get out alive.
Gunner is also able to help Church’s agoraphobia by being an extra set of eyes when they leave the house. He checks around corners to help avoid large crowds that may trigger Church’s anxiety. The only downside, Wilson said, is when Gunner is in public many people try to pet him, even though he has a vest that says he is a service dog in training.
“People don’t realize; he’s working, leave him alone!” Wilson said.
Now, though, Gunner is no longer “in training.” He is receiving his Canine Good Citizen certification today (Saturday) in Rapid City with Church. Wilson and members of the Lane Logan Memorial are there to support them.
Church emphasized how the Lane Logan Memorial has done much more for him than just pairing him with Gunner.
“They took me and mom in, basically, and they became like family,” Church said.
Wilson and Church said their main point they hope to spread awareness of is the handicap of PTSD, and just because symptoms are not physically visible doesn’t mean there aren’t severe mental handicaps in a person.
“If we didn’t have Gunner I don’t think I’d have my son. I really don’t,” Wilson said, holding back tears.
The bond between Church and Gunner is one that holds true to the saying “a dog is a man’s best friend.”
“I feel like Gunner saves my life every day,” Church said.