The Birth of Touching the Lives of Americans

I remember as a young child being brought up to respect our Military.

I knew from a very young age that ALL I wanted to do was work and be with animals.

I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't have an animal.

Yes, as a kid I was the one that brought home all the injured animals in the neighborhood to nurse back to health. From dogs and cats, to owls, birds and even a wolf pup who's mom was hit by a car {died} and was left at the side of the road scared.

My mother suffered from mental illness and as such I never knew what mood she would wake up with or arrive home with. I always had my dog by my side to help me through the hard times.

When I was 25 years old I was at work and was held up at gun point and assaulted. A gun was put to my face and the trigger pulled multiple times. It never went off. My assault resulted in a permanent disability to my neck and back.

Soon there after I was diagnosed with severe P.T.S.D. {Post Traumatic Stress Disorder}

The doctors were more then quick to prescribe drugs to me. I never took them.

My mother was addicted to prescription drugs and as such I saw her overdose too many times to count. Drugs scared me to no end.

The best drug I found was the companionship of my dog. She was always by my side and could detect when I was going to have an anxiety attack and she got me through it.

At 26 I got a job working at my then vets office. I was doing grunt work and in a six month period I was the practice manager and was being trained in technician work as well. I LOVED MY JOB!!!!!!

During that time I saw so many animals come and go through our doors, many of whom were rescues. We worked with a few rescues at the office and yes I caught the rescue bug. {There is no cure one bitten}

Craig and I started to volunteer for an organization and we did that for three years, then I had the epiphany to start our own rescue and SAVE LIVES!!!!! Craig was on board.

I quit my very well paid job to start Rescue Me Inc. {NO PAY}

I was finally making a difference in the animal community.

I saw the need to help the animals no one else wanted....... the special needs animals, the animals with one eye, cut ears, sarcoptic mange, three legs, injured, abused, parvo, distemper and seniors that are so often over looked as everyone wants a puppy or kitten.

I learned to train dogs, read body language, read behavioral messages animals were sending out and I was and am happy!!!! I found my life's work.

I now work not only with rescuing animals from HIGH KILL pounds, but we are taking dogs out of said facilities and training them to be service dogs for our returning Military heroes coming back from over seas with P.T.S.D.

I LOVE that I can give back. Although my P.T.S.D. is in no way like that these men and women as well as K-9's come home with I can relate to the symptoms.

Touching the Lives of Americans was born to help our heroes.

Please check out the work Rescue Me Inc. does at www.rescuemeinc.org and then the work we do at Touching the Lives of Americans at www.touchingthelivesofamericans.org

I hope this will give you all a little more insight to whom I am and why I do what I do each and every day of my life.......with a smile on my face and often times tears in my eyes, but I am making a difference.

As a kid with special needs whom was in and out of hospitals all my life, never let anyone tell you that you can't do what your heart guides you to do. I did it when all I was told my entire life was I would never be able to do that. Follow your dreams and NEVER accept no for an answer.