Veteran About To Commit Suicide Goes To Smoke His Last Cigarette, But Then He Hears Something In Bushes
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is sadly a common affliction for many soldiers who have witnessed conflict, an invisible wound that continues to cause incredible suffering long after the guns have fallen silent.
“A lot of us come home without realizing we are bringing the war home with us”, says Josh Marino, a veteran of the Iraq war who suffered the effects of PTSD to such an extent that it drove him right to the brink of suicide.
“I didn’t want to deal with it anymore”, Marino said. He wrote up a goodbye note, grabbed a knife and went outside for a final cigarette in the rain. But then, from the deepest depths of despair came hope. Meowing out of the bushes next to him came a stray black and white kitten which, according to Marino, “just walked up and started rubbing up against my leg and let me pet him. I broke down crying, I burst into tears.”
From this serendipitous encounter everything changed. Marino found a new purpose in life through the friendly feline, who he named Scout, and who he credits with saving his life. “I stopped thinking about all my problems, and started thinking about all his problems, and what I could do to help him,” Marino said. The bond between them was instant, but that wasn’t the end of the story.
Marino has made a video testimony of his and Scout’s remarkable story of healing and heartbreak which you can watch below. The video was made for the Mutual Rescue organization, which is dedicated to showing how animals can help humans through tough times, as well as humans can help them. It is a beautiful story that is sure to tug at your heart strings, showing just how powerful the bond between humans and animals can be. We loved it, and we hope you do too!
More info: Mutual Rescue
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is sadly a common affliction for many veterans
“A lot of us come home without realizing we are bringing the war home with us”
From the depths of despair came hope. Meowing out of the bushes next to him came a stray kitten
“He just walked up and started rubbing up against my leg and let me pet him. I burst into tears”
Marino found a new purpose in life through the friendly feline, who he credits with saving his life
“I stopped thinking about all my problems, and started thinking about all his problems”
It is a beautiful story that is sure to tug at your heart strings
It shows just how powerful the bond between humans and animals can be
The bond between them was instant, but that wasn’t the end of the story
Marino has made a video testimony of his and Scout’s remarkable story, which you can watch below
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This is amazing. This actually happened to my dad when he returned home from Iraq. He was traumatized and went on a run one morning. As he was running a stray mastiff came up to him and started to follow. My dad kept him, which helped him a lot. So things like this are amazing to prove that animals are friends and that we need them in our lives.
That's the best thing I've seen today! The best part? Marino was saved by Scout and Scout was saved by Marino. They both needed each other and they were destined to become best friends. Forgive my incompetence for not knowing the author of this line, but someone once wrote(it was something like that): "When we have reached to the worst part of our existence, when we feel desperate, hopeless and alone, fate knits us the nicest, warmest clothes." And this state is quite true, for sometimes, when we've given up all hope, we suddenly find a way out of our awful situation. And if you don't believe it, just read that story over again.
Veterans do so much for the country, yet the country does little to care for the trauma they've experienced.
La, it may seem that way but, there are three organizations devoted to helping vets where I live. All of them involve horses, from retired thoroughbreds, to very large draft horses. It could be where I live, which is horse-centric, so to speak. but, it's working.
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Cats are life savers. What else is new? XD But seriously, God bless you and that cat. Thanks for sharing your story man.
Ok was I the only one that was bawling my eyes out after that video?? Thank you for sharing your story and bringing awareness to not only animal adoption but also PTSD. My brother was in the army and suffers from it too. Hearing him tell me how he felt and the struggles he goes through on a daily basis, broke my heart. All I wanted to do is help him, fix it so he would feel normal again. He has since got a dog and change in him is amazing! Animals are truly a blessing to us humans.
Animals have a way of breaking through our barriers when no humans can, and I believe that God often does His work through them. This cat showed up when Marino most needed help, and gave him something to care about. All we need is a small purpose to build upon
I get this. I also suffer from PTSD and it drove me to constant thoughts of suicide. That's when I met Jax, a dog certified as a PTSD service dog. I have never had those thoughts since my pal showed up, as I continue to work on the PTSD.
What an incredible story. Thank you to all that serve and I'm so glad that this story has a happy ending.
I loved this. Almost the exact same thing happdned to me with my kitty. He even looks like Scout.
That was on of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, Veteran Marino. God bless you and Scout.
Josh, my heart goes out to you and Scout. Remember also. That there is those of us that think of you and all the men and women that are out there protecting our freedom in whatever capacity. I'm proud of them and I am proud of you. Thank you for your service.
If it's true I'd open to debate, but it's nice to imagine some animals come to you as a kind of guardian spirit. I have just heard so often stories of animals randomly appearing out of no where in people's darkest hours and always doing them the world of good. Animals are so beautiful
DON'T watch the video Mutual Rescue unless you have a lot of hankies around. I'm crying like a beaver ;(((
this is no small or trite thing to be easily dismissed. as some may think it is. it's hope, joy, and love. amazing story.
This is both the best and saddest story I've learned about in some time...rest in Peace Scout. I hope you're somewhere with plenty of good food, places to explore, animals to chase, and a spot for your friend in the future...
That's an easy thing to say until you need defending, wherever you happen to live. I'll bet then you'll be among those yelling for help the loudest. Hope it never comes to that...
Load More Replies... This is amazing. This actually happened to my dad when he returned home from Iraq. He was traumatized and went on a run one morning. As he was running a stray mastiff came up to him and started to follow. My dad kept him, which helped him a lot. So things like this are amazing to prove that animals are friends and that we need them in our lives.
That's the best thing I've seen today! The best part? Marino was saved by Scout and Scout was saved by Marino. They both needed each other and they were destined to become best friends. Forgive my incompetence for not knowing the author of this line, but someone once wrote(it was something like that): "When we have reached to the worst part of our existence, when we feel desperate, hopeless and alone, fate knits us the nicest, warmest clothes." And this state is quite true, for sometimes, when we've given up all hope, we suddenly find a way out of our awful situation. And if you don't believe it, just read that story over again.
Veterans do so much for the country, yet the country does little to care for the trauma they've experienced.
La, it may seem that way but, there are three organizations devoted to helping vets where I live. All of them involve horses, from retired thoroughbreds, to very large draft horses. It could be where I live, which is horse-centric, so to speak. but, it's working.
Load More Replies... Cats are life savers. What else is new? XD But seriously, God bless you and that cat. Thanks for sharing your story man.
Ok was I the only one that was bawling my eyes out after that video?? Thank you for sharing your story and bringing awareness to not only animal adoption but also PTSD. My brother was in the army and suffers from it too. Hearing him tell me how he felt and the struggles he goes through on a daily basis, broke my heart. All I wanted to do is help him, fix it so he would feel normal again. He has since got a dog and change in him is amazing! Animals are truly a blessing to us humans.
Animals have a way of breaking through our barriers when no humans can, and I believe that God often does His work through them. This cat showed up when Marino most needed help, and gave him something to care about. All we need is a small purpose to build upon
I get this. I also suffer from PTSD and it drove me to constant thoughts of suicide. That's when I met Jax, a dog certified as a PTSD service dog. I have never had those thoughts since my pal showed up, as I continue to work on the PTSD.
What an incredible story. Thank you to all that serve and I'm so glad that this story has a happy ending.
I loved this. Almost the exact same thing happdned to me with my kitty. He even looks like Scout.
That was on of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, Veteran Marino. God bless you and Scout.
Josh, my heart goes out to you and Scout. Remember also. That there is those of us that think of you and all the men and women that are out there protecting our freedom in whatever capacity. I'm proud of them and I am proud of you. Thank you for your service.
If it's true I'd open to debate, but it's nice to imagine some animals come to you as a kind of guardian spirit. I have just heard so often stories of animals randomly appearing out of no where in people's darkest hours and always doing them the world of good. Animals are so beautiful
DON'T watch the video Mutual Rescue unless you have a lot of hankies around. I'm crying like a beaver ;(((
this is no small or trite thing to be easily dismissed. as some may think it is. it's hope, joy, and love. amazing story.
This is both the best and saddest story I've learned about in some time...rest in Peace Scout. I hope you're somewhere with plenty of good food, places to explore, animals to chase, and a spot for your friend in the future...
That's an easy thing to say until you need defending, wherever you happen to live. I'll bet then you'll be among those yelling for help the loudest. Hope it never comes to that...
Load More Replies...
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