After a life filled with music and love, a grieving Air Force veteran finds new purpose with the help of a rescue dog.

The sound of music

Sonja’s life has always been filled with music.

As a military musician, Sonja served in the Air Force from 1981 to 1984. She was stationed at Travis Air Force Base before continuing her service in the Georgia Air National Guard.

It was at Travis where Sonja met Ray, the love of her life. Together they built a life filled with music, laughter, and a deep companionship that lasted 41 years.

That life was shattered when Ray was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. Just three months later, their beloved dog Pup-Pup passed away, deepening Sonja’s anguish.

“Over the years we had adopted several dogs who were very special to us,” she says.

“And when our precious Pup-Pup passed away three months after my husband, the grief was unbearable.”

The home Sonja and Ray had built together suddenly felt empty, and the silence was overwhelming.

Looking for love, again

Over the years Sonja and Ray had adopted several dogs. Each one becoming a cherished member of their family.

After Pup-Pup’s passing the Air Force veteran considered adopting again, but was not sure if she was ready. Still, she was looking to fill the tremendous voids left by her recent losses. One day she noticed an ad at her local humane society for Pets for Patriots.

After learning how our program works, Sonja applied and was accepted. But she did not act immediately. Then, a couple of months later, an email reminder arrived. That was the push she needed.

“Why not visit the humane society and see if any animals would fit into my family?” she recalls thinking at the time.

Sonja returned to Humane Society of Greenwood – the same shelter where she first learned about Pets for Patriots. A year earlier the organization joined our free shelter network, and waives adoption fees for veterans in our program.

That visit changed everything.

Just peachy

At the shelter Sonja met Peaches, a sweet and affectionate dog. Peaches is a Labrador Retriever mix with a honey-colored coat and soulful brown eyes. The Air Force veteran was smitten in an instant.

So four months after joining our program Sonja signed the adoption paperwork and welcomed Peaches home.

“Peaches has stolen our hearts and I could not imagine life without her,” she shares.

Peaches soon became more than a pet; she became a source of healing, a reason to smile again.

“She is like my shadow wherever I go in my home,” Sonja says. “She loves to snuggle and seems to know when I need to have her close for support. She is a great listener.”

With Peaches by her side, Sonja’s loneliness began to lift. The unconditional love of a rescue dog was helping to mend her broken heart.

“…my newest best friend”

Sonja is grateful to Pets for Patriots for playing a part in bringing Peaches into her life.

“Pets for Patriots made it possible for me to adopt my newest best friend,” she says.

Sonja encourages other veterans to consider the program. She knows firsthand how much a rescue pet can change a life.

Peaches may not have known Ray. She may know or care little about music or how it figured into Sonja’s life with him.

But in her quiet, loving way, Peaches is helping Sonja carry on the love and companionship they shared.

For Sonja, Peaches is more than a pet: she is a lifeline. A reminder that even after loss, love has a way of finding its way home.